Sins of a Lonely Heart
by Lord Chaltier
Summary: A story of how even heroes can become corrupted...
1. An Ode to a Betrayal

Final Fantasy Tactics:

**Sins of a Lonely Heart**

Prologue: An Ode to a Betrayal

The land of Ivalice, a world that was on the verge of destruction from a bloody, brutal war. A war waged between two sides competing for one thing: power. The succession of the crown and the turmoil surrounding it brought forth the Lion War, perhaps the most terrible war in the history of Ivalice. Not only was this a war of nations, this was also a war of worlds. The world of Ivalice, and all those who dwelled in it, and the world of darkness, that of the Devil's Army, the Lucavi.

Within the shadows of the war, the Lucavi slowly rose to power, using key figures as their vessels. The greed, ambition, and hatred of these figures caused their initial corruption, and the Lucavi slowly ate away at their soul, until there was only an empty vessel left for them to manipulate freely. There was to be no stopping the advance of the army of the Devil, and soon, all of mankind would be laid to waste with the resurrection of the Blood Angel, Altima.

But this was never to be. The Lucavi and Altima's reign was ended before it came to fruition by the efforts of one courageous young man, and those who stood by his side. This man was only out for justice. He was a warrior of the people, not bound by the temptations of money or the promise of power in the political spectrum of the world. Peace was the only thing he sought, bringing about the end of many of the Lucavi's commanders and the almighty Altima by the power of his will. He was not driven by any sort of monetary compensation, only by the pure determination in his heart. He beat back the army of the damned and saved Ivalice from destruction. But his name was never once recorded in the annals of Ivalice history. He was an unsung hero who seemingly perished in the Graveyard of Airships, along with all those who fought alongside him.

The people of Ivalice never learned of Ramza Beoulve's struggle. They were fed the blatant lies of Delita Hyral's succession of the throne and his suppression of the Lion War. He was deemed the hero, a savior of the land. But unlike Ramza, Delita was driven by his own selfish ambitions. He was greedy enough to rise to the top, but resilient enough to not be taken by the power of the devil's army. Far removed from the real war going on, he became the most powerful figure in Ivalice. But be it fate, or maybe karma, he was struck down by the very person he held dear to him. Delita was slain at the hands of his wife, the Queen Ovelia. The monarchy was then thrown into utter chaos over who would then succeed the throne.

The legends passed down were all false. Delita Hyral did not maintain a long rule of peace and prosperity, he only further entangled the infernal power struggle over the crown. Even as king, Delita could not escape the harsh grasp of fate, and his life was soon resigned to it. Now Ivalice was without a ruler, a land without a king that was slowly tearing itself apart.

But, this is not the story of who came into power, or the bloody ways they used to do so. This is the story of the true hero's life after all the fighting was over. Fearful of the persecution that would surely be brought forth onto him by the church, Ramza and Alma Beoulve, who did indeed survive the encounter at Murond Death City, cut all ties with their heritage and those who fought alongside them, and vanished forever. Their life beyond the Lion War, while unaccounted for by the majority of history's scholars, will now be told through pure speculation and rumor.

Ramza Beoulve, while the most pure of fighters in Ivalice, was not without his own dark side. Just as love and hate are two sides of the same coin, so are innocence and decadence. But only through the most despicable provocation would Ramza's hatred be invoked, and this story is how that very event took place. Ramza Beoulve did not ask for very much, just solace from his dreadful life as a noble and the angst that was directed at him and his sister through the Church of Glabados' doings. All he wanted was to forget his life in the Lion War and live unknown to any and all who might have once known him. But just as he was once thrust into the war, he shall once again be called into battle, this time for his own well being. No, this wasn't a war of nations, nor was it a war of worlds. This was a war of existence. A war raged between only two sides: Ramza Beoulve and the hellish actions of the past that came back to haunt him. Temptations and corruption were afoot, ones that even Ramza himself could not resist.

**Sins of a lonely heart bring forth a new corruption, one that would eat away even the strongest of saviors...**

"Brother? Are you alright?" Alma's voice intruded on Ramza's deep brooding. For what seemed like hours, Ramza had been staring at the fire place blankly, not saying a word. This aroused concern in his sister.

The Beoulve lad looked at his younger sister and silently nodded, his eyes full of melancholy.

Alma said nothing as she embraced her brother in a tight, loving hug.

News of Delita's death had spread like wildfire across Ivalice, and it didn't take long for Ramza and Alma to find out. Both were deeply saddened by the loss of their childhood friend, despite the fact of his manipulative actions that led to his position as King of Ivalice.

His rule was short lived, despite the legends that it was an extended period. Ovelia, though totally devoted to her husband, could not bear the thought of him using others for his own selfish gain any longer. And so, on her birthday, with Delita bearing flowers to his betrothed as a gift of affection, Ovelia struck, attacking Delita with a hidden dagger. Delita then turned the dagger on Ovelia, slaying his Queen. As he slumped to the ground, mortally wounded, the mighty King Delita's final words were:

_"Ramza...what...what did you get...?"_

Ramza Beoulve got nothing. Nothing except blind persecution and a title of "Heretic monster" by the Church of Glabados. Ramza was forced to flee his home country of Ivalice. Now he and his sister Alma lived quietly on the outskirts of Ivalice territory, away from the jurisdiction of the clergy. The last two remaining children of the late Balbanes Beoulve could only meek out a quiet existence, far removed from any sort of contact between their lost comrades of the Lion War. They rarely ever showed their faces in public, for fear of being discovered by Church followers and punished for their supposed crimes.

"Brother," Alma began solemnly. "I too grieve for the loss of Delita, he was our friend."

"I know, Alma..." Ramza said dejectedly. "It's just...I can't believe he's really dead...and Ovelia too..."

Ramza took a seat on a nearby chair and propped his head on his hands. He looked out the window at the landscape surrounding he and Alma's home. It was a quaint little cottage, miles away from any sort of civilization. The two Beoulves changed their names and their identities, living now as husband and wife. Alma enjoyed the peace, she no longer had to worry about the fires of war or the horrors of living as a noble. Now she was content, living tranquilly with her beloved brother. Ramza, on the other hand, missed the feel of battle. He was groomed from birth to be a soldier, enrolling in the Gariland Academy at the tender young age of sixteen. From his first departure outside of the Magic City, Ramza was thrust headlong into the inevitable power struggle between Prince Larg and Prince Goltana. He fought against incredible odds, beating back the forces of the kingdoms out for his head and even the devil's army, the Lucavi. Ramza retained all of the Holy Stones he had gained during his travels, and they were now buried safely underneath his home. No one would ever find them, and the Lucavi would never be called upon again.

Life for Ramza and Alma afterwords was uneventful, to say the least. Every day, Ramza went to work odd jobs to earn money for himself and his sister. Alma remained at their home, silently tending to household chores while waiting patiently for her brother to return safely. With each and every passing day, Ramza grew more and more depressed, and Alma knew the exact reason why.

He was slowly being eaten away inside.

Ramza had but two real pieces of his life he could hold dear to him. The first was his sister, Alma. He cherished his sister with all of his heart, never wanting her to ever again experience the horrific events she underwent during the war. To see Alma subjected to the heinous intent of the Lucavi brought forth a rage never once felt before by the young Beoulve man. But he had stopped any such plans, and freed his sister from their grasp. He treasured Alma almost more than anything and anyone else in the world, no one would ever hurt her, Ramza would make sure of that. He would gladly lay down his own life so that she could be happy.

With Alma's safety and well being secured, the rage that once boiled within this normally quiet young man was soon quelled.

But with news of Delita's death, that rage was once again beginning to rise. Ramza never hated Delita for what he had done. He had manipulated his way to the top, but Ramza didn't ever bear a grudge. After all, he and Delita were best friends since childhood, almost the point where the two looked at each other as brothers. Ramza could almost understand Delita's intentions for doing what he had, but secretly took pity on him for the way he went about executing it. Now a victim of his own manipulation, the mighty King Delita was dead. Ramza's best friend was dead. That one other piece of happiness in Ramza's life was snuffed out. And now, with him gone, despair encroached ever closer to consuming Ramza entirely, further empowered by the rage Ramza felt inside him.

The only remaining pillar of guiding light in Ramza's otherwise dark and hellish life was Alma.

Alma took a seat next to Ramza and hugged him tightly. Ramza brought one of his arms over her shoulder and pulled his sister close to him.

"Alma...please...don't ever go away..." Ramza quietly whispered, his eyes beginning to well with tears.

"Never brother...I will never leave you." Alma consoled Ramza as her own tears began to fall down her cheeks...


	2. When Innocence is Stolen

Chapter 1: When Innocence is Stolen

Night had soon fallen over the world. Its calm atmosphere could make some feel at ease, but others on edge. The night hid within its veil of secrecy the darkest of demons, but at the same time, the most innocent wishes. A mixture of both peace and madness, depending on how it is viewed.

Alma awoke with a start. Fumbling around for a nearby candle, her fingers finally wrapped around the base of the holder. After the strike of a match, the room was illuminated by the candle's glow. Ramza, while normally sound asleep in his bed at this hour, was nowhere to be found.

"Brother...?" Alma called out to the empty room. The eerie silence that responded to her summon made the young girl feel a bit on edge. Not seeing her brother anywhere in the room, Alma got to her feet and exited the bedroom, trying to find Ramza. He wasn't in the kitchen, nor the den, it was almost like he had just disappeared.

Just then, a sound of what sounded like a sword slash was heard outside of the house. Alma crept over to the front door of the cottage and slowly opened it a nudge, peeking out with a keen eye.

"Brother..." Alma whispered lowly.

It was indeed Ramza, who, for some reason or another, was practicing his swordsmanship in the dead of night. The fact he still took up such arms made Alma feel disturbed. After all, the war was over now, why would Ramza need to continue use of such a simple tool of death and destruction like a sword?

But he continued on. Thrusting, parrying, slashing, all the ways of battle still shone fresh in the boy's moves. It was unsure of just how much time had passed since the Lion War's climax, but clearly it was not enough for Ramza to forget his ways of a soldier.

Another regal thrust from his trusty rapier, and a nearby tree, stout in appearance and durability, was run through with ease. Ramza started his journey a novice of the sword, and ended it as a master of the art. His skill in the way of the sword brought about the end of some of Ivalice's most vile of people, from Cardinal Draclau to Marquis Elmdor, both of which had been tainted by the Zodiac Stones.

The supposed "Holy" stones from the legend of the Zodiac Braves. There was absolutely nothing holy about these horrid pieces of rock. They hid within them the spirits of the Lucavi. Only through misinterpretation were the stones believed to bring great prosperity to all. But those mistakes of judgment would never again be made, as all of the stones were now buried well away from any sort of desire concerning them. Ramza Beoulve would be the guardian of those stones, whether he wanted to do so or not. His role as hero of the Lion War also came with the curse of being the overseer of the stones.

Ramza, and Alma as well, both lost everything in the war. They lost their status as part of the Beoulve family, they lost their family to both the war and the Lucavi, and they lost their places in the world itself. Now they were simply...there. No status, no place, nothing of the sort. Ramza initially had no qualms with simply being a normal part of the world, but deep down, he desired something more. This was by no means a selfish type of desire, but during the Lion War, Ramza felt needed. He felt that he was actually making a difference in the history of Ivalice, a difference for the greater good. But just as news of Delita's death and the probability of his haste replacement found their way into his mind, Ramza knew that his efforts, while valorous to no end, were overly futile.

The Lucavi were indeed a threat to all of humankind, but they were not the greatest foe. The greatest foe of mankind, was mankind itself. The evil of devils has its limits, but the evils of man knows no boundaries. When a devil falls, there is little else that could replicate such evil, but when a decadent man falls, another comes to take his place. Another so much more vile and twisted. The sheer temptations of mortal status inadvertently overthrew any ideals of those of the damned, thus making them infinitely more treacherous than whatever the Lucavi could hope to become.

Ramza Beoulve knew that his efforts to stop the Lucavi were only one side of the conflict that raged on in Ivalice. However, this other conflict was not glorified as the Lion War, nor was it acknowledged by anyone. This conflict resided within the hearts of people everywhere, and even Ramza had no place in what they could do. He was a hero of the people, and could dare not interfere with the ways of those people he had sworn to protect.

And so, Ramza could only remain a soldier, no longer for the people, but for himself, and for Alma. He yearned for battle once more, but at the same time cringed at the thought of another conflict such as the Lion War coming to pass again. He was torn between the love of being a warrior and the humility of being himself. He could only vent his frustrations with swings of his sword. Each swing was fueled by a mixture of confusion, anger, and helplessness. Ramza's swordsmanship, while perhaps the strongest of any of Ivalice's warriors at one time, was now a mere half-shell of its former glory.

Ramza removed his sword from the tree he had just impaled and returned the blade to the sheath belted onto his side. The boy then sat down on the ground and curled up into a ball. Alma sighed dejectedly to herself, then closed the door and returned to her room. This was not something she had a part in, and she knew that all too well. She was his blood sister, his only remaining piece of existence, but she understood that this did not concern her or her paternal love she felt for Ramza. This was something only Ramza himself could overcome, no one could possibly try and help him with it.

Alma lay back down in bed, trying to forget the thoughts of her depressed sibling, but it refused to be suppressed. Alma tossed and turned with all her power, trying to get back to sleep.

"I'm sorry brother..." Alma choked out. "I can't do anything for you...I'm sorry I'm so weak..."

_Torn..._

"What?" Alma said startled, sitting up in a panic.

_When the savior becomes torn, those who have fallen will rise again, and take their revenge..._

"Who's there!" Alma yelped, jumping out of her bed, looking around hurriedly.

_He robbed me of everything, and now, the favor will be returned tenfold..._

Alma bolted for the door, wanting to warn Ramza of this possible intruder, but she only made it halfway. A tremendous force threw her to the ground and pinned her there.

"Brother! Help me!" Alma screamed.

But Ramza was far removed from the cottage, and could not hear Alma's pleas for assistance.

_Worry not, young one, your death, while not for some time, will be painless, but his...it shall be excruciating beyond belief._

"No!" She screamed once more.

Meanwhile...

"Father..." Said Ramza. "What...what am I supposed to do now...?"

_Die..._

"What in the name of...?" Ramza stuttered.

_You can die..._ The cryptic voice echoed again menacingly. Ramza instinctively went for his sword.

"Show yourself!" Ramza demanded, eyes darting all around the area.

"We meet again, boy." A familiar voice came from behind a tree.

"You..." Ramza trailed off. "Impossible! This isn't happening!"

"Oh, but it is." The voice assured Ramza.

A shadowy figure stepped from behind the tree where the voice was originating. The shadows surrounding him made it difficult for Ramza to determine who it was, but from the voice, Ramza was almost certain of who it was.

"You took everything from me, you damn Beoulve." The figure grimaced. "And now, I'm going to take everything from you."

"I'll stop you." Ramza said confidently, raising his sword and pointing it at the figure. "I've done it once before, and I can do it again."

"I think not." Retorted the figure. "Because this time, it is you who is going to destroy yourself. I am here to make sure this happens."

"If you think you're going to get to the stones..." Ramza muttered lowly.

"Stones?" The figure scoffed, which then turned into a sadistic cackle. "I have no need for those worthless pieces of rock. I've already sampled their power, and retain part of it within me. It is partially what keeps me here."

"That's absurd!" Ramza exclaimed. "You can't hold any power of the stones without actually having them!"

"You think so?" The figure replied challengingly. "Then strike, Ramza Beoulve, and let me show you just how mistaken you are."

Ramza didn't need any further provocation, charging at the figure with reckless abandon. Rearing his sword back, Ramza delivered a deft half-crescent slice to the figure. The edge of the blade cut clean through, and whoever this person was, was cut in half from mid-torso. Both pieces of the body fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Ramza took a step back and held his free hand to his mouth, trying to prevent himself from gagging at the sight of such a brutal kill shot.

"What?" Ramza said in disbelief. "How could...!"

The upper half of the figure was slowly gliding back onto the bottom half. Seconds later, the figure stood once again, completely unscathed.

"You see? You cannot kill me, as I am already dead. Only when you have become tainted will I ever vanish from this plane of existence. Your destruction is my ultimate goal, be it in life, or be it in death."

"Why is it you desire my demise?" Ramza asked, sheathing his sword as he knew it was a pointless effort. "What have I done to make you detest me so?"

"I told you, you've taken everything from me. Now you will know just how it feels."

The figure melted into the ground, and its presence ceased to exist within the vicinity. Fearing for Alma's safety as well as that of the Holy Stones, Ramza began into a mad dash for the cottage. As he neared the hut, it suddenly burst into flames. Ramza's jaw dropped in shock.

"Alma!" Ramza screamed. The boy dropped to his knees, slamming his fists on the ground repeatedly.

"Is this what you wanted?" Ramza asked himself. "To take my sister away from me? Is that what you desired?"

"Brother..." A soft voice cooed from a few feet away. Ramza lifted his head.

"Alma...you're okay!" Said Ramza joyfully. He got to his feet in a flash and ran over to Alma, hugging his sister tightly.

"Yes brother, I'm okay..." Alma whimpered, wrapping her arms around Ramza and resting her head on his shoulder.

"How did you..." Ramza tried to speak, but was too taken in holding his little sister in his arms to even finish his sentence.

"It matters not brother..." Alma said softly. "What matters is that you and I are both alive."

"Yes, yes, you are right." Ramza agreed wholeheartedly.

"But..." Alma started, "That's a problem, you see..."

"Alma...?"

Alma's hands then turned as cold as ice, sending chills up and down Ramza's spine. Before he could react, Ramza felt a blade as chilling as his sibling's hands being thrust into his back. His mouth opened in shock, but no words came out. Alma glared at him evilly.

"You...!" Ramza choked out.

"We will see each other again, sometime in the near future." Said Alma, her voice twisted and distorted. "Until then, let me leave this as a reminder of yourself."

Ramza tried to force himself away from Alma, but his body refused to move. He then felt the dagger in his back be removed, but felt the stinging tip of the knife trace along the skin on his back. The dagger sliced clean through his armor, the plate mail giving way to the blade's path. After seconds of unbelievable pain, the dagger was drawn back once more. Alma then stepped away from Ramza, and he fell to the ground, completely paralyzed.

"Your sins will be your downfall, Beoulve." Said 'Alma.' "Third son of the accursed Beoulve family, enemy of God almighty. When the time comes, your trip to hell shall be long and arduous. Innocence escapes you, and thus you will never see your precious sibling in the afterlife. You will join those you have struck down in the fiery pits of purgatory. The Reverse Trinity that shall be burned into your being is your ticket for your one way journal to the dismal abyss."

With a wave of her hand, Alma vanished into thin air, the dagger dropping to the ground where she vanished.

"Alma...!"

Ramza tried to get to his feet, but just as he did so, he could feel his back beginning to sting. This wasn't just the sting of the open wound, it felt much more potent, almost like fire...

"No...!" Ramza screamed in agony, his back feeling as if it were ablaze. Moments later, the paralysis keeping him ensnared vanished, and Ramza shot to his feet. With one last look at the burning hulk of a building he once called home, Ramza took off running, full speed. His destination was unknown, but he ran with all of his inward power. His sense of direction marred, Ramza could only blindly dash wherever he felt was the right way. He ran for what seemed like hours, until finally collapsing onto his stomach in an open field. The light from the morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting light onto the downed young man. Ramza winced as the rays of the sun made his wounds ache even more, but he couldn't move any further. All he could do was lie helpless on the ground. There was no one who could help him now. Ramza Beoulve had now lost everything. His one final shred of happiness was taken away from him, for reasons even Ramza could not fully grasp. He felt completely helpless right now.

"No...I won't...submit..." Ramza spat, ordering himself to pick his battered body off the ground. He clenched his fists together and felt the earth crumble in his hands. This feeling told him that he was still alive, and thus, Ramza pulled himself up.

"Alma...I'm going to find you...I'll...I'll search this whole world for you if I must...please hold on..." Ramza squeaked. Taking one step forward, he felt his knees buckle, and he once again found himself falling to the ground. However, this time, his fall was broken by what felt like a person's arms. They were strong, keeping Ramza supported, yet at the same time, delicate like a flower.

"Fear not." A gruff voice said to Ramza. "You're safe now."

"I'm...safe..." Ramza told himself, closing his eyes and blacking out from exhaustion.


	3. Sanctuary of Remembrance and Unity

Chapter 2: Sanctuary of Remembrance and Unity

_Am...am I dead...? Feels like I've been asleep forever. My back still feels like its on fire..._

_Alma!_

_Where is Alma?_

_I'll save you!_

"Wh...what...?" Ramza finally snapped back into reality. His vision was still blurry, making it hard to decipher where he was. From what he could tell, he was in a well furnished bedroom, adorned with all sorts of armor and weaponry mounted on the wall. For a minute, Ramza thought he was in his own room, and that what had transpired was all just a bad nightmare. But the second he tried to sit up, the stinging pain in his back crushed any sort of hope of that being true. Ramza collapsed back onto the bed. He didn't know where he was, but strangely, he felt somewhat at ease.

_"Fear not...you're safe now." _Those heartfelt words entered his conscious again. Now he was beginning to remember all of what happened, in every bit of grim detail.

Ramza clenched his hands into tight fists. This was frustrating to no end. Here he was, Ramza Beoulve, the one who overthrew the Blood Angel and its horde of followers, now confined to a bed like he were some sort of paraplegic. But this wound on his back was no ordinary one, the feeling he felt as he clutched Alma in his hands still remained, not as potent, but enough to immobilize Ramza to the point of incapacitation. Ramza thought back to last night, how he lay helpless in that open field. The thought of death did not scare him, it was leaving Alma alone that made him feel terrified. Ramza had learned long ago to not fear death, as it was a hindrance that kept him from accomplishing his tasks. But if Alma were left alone in such a horrible world of death and misery, that scared the boy to levels he never felt before, and never wanted to feel again. But Ramza knew, that as fugitives from the church, there'd be one day when Ramza would fall. It was surely inevitable, and Ramza was prepared for it to happen. But he didn't ever want his sister to share in his fate. Countless times he had turned her away from his troubles during the war, trying to protect her from the repercussions of his actions, which in turn led to her abduction by the Lucavi. And now it seemed that this was all happening again.

But Ramza was ready to scour the entire world once more for the sake of Alma. And whoever had come to his aid in that field helped renew his chance of saving his sister. Ramza was grateful to this unknown savior, and felt it best to thank them. But to do that, he needed to get up.

Pulling his scarred body up once more, Ramza brought his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes, trying to regain his vision. Blinking rapidly, he found the blur that surrounded him begin to clear. The bed in which he lay was enormous, fit for a king. It was soft and comforting, much unlike the stiff cot he slept in at his home. As he focused his vision further, Ramza saw something at the foot end of the bed. Rubbing his eyes once more, Ramza could see that it was a person. A woman with long flowing hair, blonde in color. Her smooth locks cascaded down her shoulders onto a dress of simple design.

"Ovelia...?" Ramza stuttered, thinking that it was the Queen of Ivalice, here at his side as any friend would surely come to. But Ovelia was dead, and Ramza quickly realized that this was not her. No, she looked a few years older than the late Queen. Perhaps it was a caretaker of this abode? Ramza wasn't sure, but found himself staring at this woman for several minutes at a time. In her hair was a flower, a lilac the same color of the purest of snowflakes.

Ramza reached out, but his body refused to comply. His strength was still spent, and all he could do was meekly fidget around. Succumbing to the fatigue once more, Ramza set his head back down and returned to the world of slumber.

_Alma...I'll come for you...please don't leave me..._

**Hours later...**

"Are you okay, sir?" A calm voice entered Ramza's ears. The voice was vaguely familiar, prompting Ramza to sit up with a start. A fair portion of his will returned, he opened his eyes. Now his vision was completely clear, and he could make out the person standing over him.

"You're finally awake." The young woman said with a warm smile. "I'm so glad."

"Aren't you...Alicia?" Ramza asked.

"I am." Replied the woman, Alicia. "We've been quite worried about you, Ramza."

"You...remember me?" Asked Ramza innocently.

"Of course I do, how could I, or any of us, forget?" Alicia said. "Look, Lavian, our former commander is awake."

"Wonderful!" A voice said cheerfully across the room. "You gave us all quite a scare Ramza, we thought you were some sort of ghost when we saw you."

"Ghost?" Ramza asked, sitting up.

"Yes." Alicia spoke again. "For so long, we thought you had perished along with Altima and your sister."

"That's right...Murond..." Ramza said, clutching his head in his hands at the thought of that heinous final battle against the Blood Angel.

"We didn't see you after that bright flash of light, and could only assume the worst." Lavian said grimly. "But you're still alive, it lifts a great deal of stress off all of our shoulders."

"Alma..."

"Did you say something, Ramza?" Lavian inquired, coming to the bed alongside Alicia. The two looked at Ramza with concern.

"...You didn't see Alma, did you?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Alicia admitted, bowing her head. "You were the only one we found."

"I see..." Ramza sighed heavily.

"You should continue resting, Ramza." Lavian said. "Please do not push yourself, you've been heavily wounded."

"If only you knew..." Ramza mumbled to himself. Lavian and Alicia made their way to the door.

"Please wait a moment." Ramza called out, stopping the two.

"Yes, what is it Ramza?" Alicia asked.

"Where...am I...?"

"Why, you're at the Atkascha Royal Family's Knight Barracks, of course." Lavian told him. "We brought you back here under orders."

"Orders of whom? The church?" Ramza asked, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Don't be absurd!" Alicia exclaimed. "We do not follow those fanatical madmen, the Royal Family remains loyal only to the crown and God, never to a decadent clergy!"

"Whew..." Ramza said while timidly wiping his brow in relief.

"When you are able to stand on your own power, we shall take you to see our lord." Lavian said. "Do not worry, Ramza, as we are still aware of your actions during the Lion War. You'll be treated as an honored guest."

"I thank you." Ramza said gratefully. He cocked an eyebrow at the two. "I must say, you two have certainly changed since I saw you last. You seem so much more confident and commanding, I'm very impressed."

"Flattery will get you nowhere with us, Ramza." Alicia cooed slyly, winking an eye at Ramza. "We are Holy Knights, it is required that we be this way, your compliments are not necessary."

"You two are both Holy Knights now?"

"We are." Lavian said with a nod.

Ramza looked the both of them over. They no longer wore simple armor of squires, now they were both fitted in regalia of the knights of God. They both had at their sides swords adorned with all sorts of holy inscriptions. Seeing the two of them with their new titles and their fresh appearance made Ramza think back to the Holy Knight that had joined in his crusade. As he thought about it harder, he remembered that she too came from this very place.

"One last question." Ramza said. "If you are both Holy Knights now, then, is Agrias...?" He trailed off.

"Your concern is not necessary, Ramza." Alicia reassured him. "Agrias still resides here. However, not in the way you might remember her."

"Huh?" Ramza said confusedly.

"We'll let you find out for yourself." Alicia said as she opened the door leading outside. "We will speak again later. Rest peacefully Ramza."

With a dutiful salute, the two Holy Knights left the room, closing the door behind them. As they left, Ramza's sight turned onto the end of his bed, where the beautiful stranger in the simple dress once was. Her scent still hung lightly in the air, causing Ramza to feel lightheaded. As he moved to lay down again, a fold of the cover draped over him gave way, and behind it was a flower. That flower the woman had in her hair, this was it.

Ramza stretched out and took hold of the delicate fauna, cradling it in his hands. The scent left behind by the unknown stranger was coming from this very lilac. Clutching the flower close to him, Ramza once again set his head back down and drifted off to sleep. His thoughts, while before troubled with Alma's disappearance, were now much more at ease. For the first time in the past few days, Ramza was finally sleeping peacefully, not constantly tossing and turning or curling up protectively. He felt like he could sleep like this forever, but it was not to be, as he was brought back to reality hours later.

"Ramza, it's time to wake up now." The voice of Alicia awoke Ramza again. "You can't sleep all day, you know."

Ramza's eyes fluttered. He sat up and let out a big yawn.

"Forgive me, I've just been feeling very under the weather lately." He answered, removing the covers from his body and finally exiting the bed's comforting embrace.

"You'll have all the time to rest later, but right now, we must take you to our lord." Lavian said.

"Of course, lead the way."

Ramza, Lavian, and Alicia exited the room and began making their way down the hall. As they walked, Ramza noticed that neither of the two were as talkative as they had been earlier, so he decided to strike up a conversation.

"Do you treat all guests with such lavish rooms?" He asked.

"That room actually belongs to-oof!" Lavian started, but was cut off by a swift elbow to the arm by Alicia.

"Belongs to who?"

"You needn't worry about it, Ramza." Alicia said with a nervous chuckle.

"Um...okay..." Ramza said sheepishly.

The trio now stood before a pair of grand doors, decorated in luxurious designs of the Atkascha Royal Family.

"This is the audience chamber." Alicia told Ramza. "Step inside please."

Lavian and Alicia pushed open the mighty doors, and Ramza entered. He walked to the center of the room and dropped to one knee before the two people sitting on the thrones, the heads of the Royal Family.

"Stand, Ramza Beoulve." The lord said. "You need not kneel before us like some sort of commoner. You are, after all, our race's savior."

"Such praise is not needed for my simple presence." Ramza said. "I was merely doing what I felt was right."

"Even so, you did what no one else could, or even tried to do. You defeated the army of the Devil, and even what may have been the Devil itself." Applauded the lord. "But far be it from me to bear down on you with unwanted praise."

Ramza got to his feet once more.

"I thank you."

"You two, leave us." The lord said, motioning to Lavian and Alicia. Both Holy Knights bowed respectively, then left, shutting the doors behind them.

"Did you sleep well?" The lady of the throne inquired.

"I did, milady."

"There is no need to be formal, Ramza. Please, you may address me by my first name. I am Rosealynn Atkascha the third."

"And I am Farnei Atkascha."

"It is an honor to meet you both, I heard many great things about you during the Lion War."

"Did you now?" Farnei asked inquisitively. "By whom, might I ask?"

"One of your recruits, Agrias Oaks." Ramza said.

"Ah yes." Farnei replied with a nod. "Agrias, what a fine specimen of a soldier she is. A bit stubborn, but her power and loyalty is unquestionable."

"I'm well aware of that, my lord. I felt much safer when Agrias joined my ranks."

"And I'm sure she did the same, Ramza." Rosealynn smirked. "She told us many great things about you when she returned, after she started speaking again, that is."

"What do you mean?" Ramza pried.

"Agrias was morbidly silent the day she returned from Murond." Farnei began. "At first we thought it was because of her injuries, but even after she had healed she said not a peep."

"But why?"

"Perhaps you should ask her yourself." Rosealynn said.

"Enter!" Bellowed Farnei.

Ramza spun around to the sound of the opening doors. His eyes lit up with anticipation as _she_ stepped into the room.

"Agrias..." Ramza trailed off.

"Hello, Ramza." Agrias Oaks greeted the young Beoulve warmly. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has." Ramza smiled. "I'm glad to know that you're okay."

"And I you." Agrias replied curtly. "Lavian and Alicia told me what happened. I'm very sorry that Alma was taken from you once more."

"Yeah..." Ramza sighed. "Thanks for your kind words."

"Well, isn't this a pleasant scene?" Farnei remarked to his wife. "Two lost comrades, finally reunited again after a long period of time."

"Indeed." Rosealynn agreed. "At ease, Agrias."

Agrias nodded, losing her stiff and reserved stance, then walked over to Ramza and stood alongside him. As she stopped, her eyes slid over to the corner where Ramza was standing, inspecting the boy. Ramza could feel her piercing gaze, even though he wasn't looking at her.

"Is the wound serious?" Agrias finally asked, breaking a momentary silence that hung about the area.

"It...it's nothing..." Ramza nervously stuttered.

"Ramza." Farnei interrupted Ramza's bumbling. "If I may ask, what became of the Holy Stones you collected during your journey in the Lion War?"

"I...I'm very sorry my lord, but I cannot tell you." Ramza whimpered. "I don't want anyone to know their whereabouts, I want them to remain hidden forever. Please understand."

"...I see." Farnei said gruffly. "I suppose I cannot hold it against you for not wanting to reveal the location of such deadly things, but please remember, we of the Atkascha Royal Family hold no such bid in any race for power, we would never use them for our own purposes."

"It's not like that, my lord. The stones are evil, and should never be in the hands of mortals ever again."

"But can they not also be used for good?" Agrias piped in. "If I remember right, it was one of those very stones that brought back that Kamayari Assassin from the afterlife."

"Yes, there are exceptions." Ramza admitted. "But more often than not, the power will just wind up being abused, and that is when the Lucavi strike. I don't ever want to see what happened during the Lion War repeated again."

"I am certain you are referring to the fate of your brothers, Dycedarg and Zalbag Beoulve." Rosealynn said.

"Not just my brothers, everyone who was affected by those stones should never have to be subjected to such hellish torture ever again." Ramza said fervently.

"I can partially understand your reasoning, Ramza." Farnei said. "But you are only one man, what makes you think you can prevent any such thing from reoccurring?"

"I don't know..." Replied the Beoulve. "I just know it is my duty left over from the Lion War to safeguard those stones."

"Very well." Farnei finally caved. "We will leave the stones be for the time, but if there should ever come a time when you think you cannot do this alone, please do not fear to ask for our help. We are indebted to you more than you can possibly imagine, and would never think of using the Holy Stones for the wrong reasons."

"I will, thank you." Ramza bowed. "It makes me happy to know that one of my friends came from such a wondrous place of honor."

"Friends..." Agrias mumbled.

"So what will you do now, Ramza?" Rosealynn chimed.

"There is someone I must find out in the world. Someone very important who was taken from me."

"Your sister, Alma Beoulve, I assume?" Farnei said, to which Ramza nodded.

"That is correct, my lord."

"You are free to leave whenever you so desire." Rosealynn said. "But please remember to always be on guard. Your name is still detested by those of the Church of Glabados."

"It is a lesson I never forget, milady."

"The day is nearly over, please remain here until morning." Farnei insisted.

"I shall do just that, my lord." Ramza agreed.

"Agrias." Rosealynn said. Agrias stood a hair straighter.

"What is your wish, ma'am?" Agrias asked obediently.

"Please escort Ramza back to his quarters, and while you are at it, please change the bandages on his body, his are starting to become worn and stained."

"B...but milady...I'm alright...! I can take care of my own wounds...!" Ramza exclaimed flustered.

"It is best that you leave your health in the hands of a woman." Rosealynn told Ramza. "And who better a woman than one that knows you as well as Agrias?"

Ramza looked over at Agrias, expecting her to look just as shocked as he was, but all he saw was the same loyal look in her eyes that he always knew.

"It shall be done." Agrias said. "Come Ramza, you must feel terribly uncomfortable in those ragged bandages."

"B...b...but..." Ramza stuttered like a fool.

Agrias took hold of Ramza's arm with her hand and led the bewildered boy out of the room.

"Ha ha ha." Farnei laughed. "You are so devious, my dear."

"I just wanted to see his reaction." Rosealynn said with her own giggle. "The way he gets nervous so easily in situations like that is quite adorable."

"But was it wise to leave him in the care of Agrias?" Farnei asked.

"Come now!" Rosealynn huffed. "Have you forgotten the reason why Agrias was so quiet for the longest time?"

"Ah yes, I'm sorry to say I did." Farnei said. "You are right, I think this will be best for the both of them."

"I couldn't agree with you more." Rosealynn beamed, planting a kiss on her husband's cheek.

"Really Agrias, I'm okay! You don't have to do this!" Ramza said, squirming around wildly.

"I see..." Agrias said, letting go of Ramza's arm. "Then you do not require my assistance. That is fine."

Agrias walked on, leaving a confused Ramza standing there.

"W...wait a minute!" Ramza bellowed. Agrias stopped in her tracks and looked back.

"Yes?"

"I'd still like to talk to you, Agrias." Ramza said. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. I've missed having the conversations we used to have."

"Is that all you missed then?"

"Wh...well...I mean...no!" Muddled Ramza. "I've missed...uhm...what I mean to say...is that...I missed...you!"

"My my." Agrias said, putting her hands on her hips. "You missed me, did you?"

"Of course! I've missed you, Beowulf, Orlandu, everyone!"

"And I am sure they have missed you as well, Ramza." Agrias said as she turned to leave again.

"...Did you miss me...?" Ramza whispered lowly. He couldn't see it, but Agrias was biting her lower lip nervously.

"...I did." The woman finally spoke. "I did miss you, Ramza."

"I'm sorry to have worried you and everyone else." Ramza started. "It's just...I was wounded so badly by Altima, I couldn't move. Alma, she nursed me back to health, she saved my life."

"You're very grateful to your sister, aren't you?"

"I am, I owe alot to Alma, perhaps everything."

"Because she's the only remaining piece of your past?"

"It's much more than that. I love Alma, she is my sister, I'd do anything for her. She wasn't supposed to have been put through the hell we went through."

"Why? Because she is a woman? Are women too weak to be on the field of battle?"

"Not at all!" Ramza shouted, looking away nervously.

"Agrias...you seem...different somehow..." Ramza said.

"Is that right?" Agrias said, facing Ramza with a cocked eyebrow. "Maybe I have changed, maybe I haven't, who knows?"

"You know, I think I will need some help with these bandages." Said Ramza out of nowhere.

"So you changed your mind, did you?" Agrias said with a smirk. Ramza nodded.

"Very well, follow me."

Agrias started into another forceful stroll, with Ramza trailing behind her, trying to keep up. The two entered a room adjacent to the one where Ramza had been placed upon his discovery in the field. The door shut behind them.

"Hehe..." A voice giggled. "This should be interesting..."

"Lavian!" A stern voice shouted behind Lavian. It was Alicia. "What do you think you're doing!"

"Shhh!" Lavian hushed her partner. She placed her ear on the door. "Be quiet, I wanna hear this!"

"You're eavesdropping! That is beyond rude! We Holy Knights have better standards than this!"

"But Agrias went in there with Ramza." Lavian announced. Alicia's eyes shot wide open, and her jaw dropped.

"Well...I suppose no one has to know about this." Alicia mumbled to herself as she knelt down below Lavian and place her own ear on the door.

The two Holy Knights hushed and listened carefully for the conversation that began inside that room...


	4. Duality of Self

Chapter 3: Duality of Self

"Ow!" Ramza yelped.

"Oh, quit being such a crybaby." Agrias belittled him. "I expected you to be alot more durable than this."

Agrias had just finished peeling the first layer of bandage from Ramza's upper torso. She set the blood stained wrapping off to the side of the table the two were at, and began working on the second layer.

"Yeowch!" Ramza squealed again.

"Stop squirming!" Agrias ordered, smacking Ramza upside the head. "I swear, you're such a child!"

"Couldn't you be just a bit more gentle?" Ramza pleaded.

"I am! Grin and bear it, Ramza, you're a soldier after all!" Agrias snorted.

"Yeah, I know...but-Ouch!"

"What a nuisance..." Agrias mumbled to herself.

"Well I'm sorry, but that hurts!" Ramza winced.

Now the second layer was off, leaving only one more to go. This last was by far the most stained, the white threads barely showing through the crimson glow of dried blood. Agrias had seen this a countless number of times on the battlefield, and was used to it by now. However, this time was a bit different. Normally, she would have already removed all the bandages, but with Ramza, she was taking extra precaution. She was being as careful as she could possibly be, despite Ramza's cries to the contrary.

"Okay, last one, are you ready, or should I go a millimeter at a time?" Agrias said sarcastically.

"Just get it over with." Ramza sighed.

Agrias began unwrapping the final layer of bandage. Ramza gritted his teeth and clinched his fists together as he felt the gauze being pulled off his skin. The open air stung at his wounds as the protective barrier of bandage was withdrawn.

"There, it's all off." Agrias said. "You can open your eyes now, oh mighty Ramza Beoulve."

Ramza's face soured. He looked over his shoulder at Agrias.

"Alright, I appreciate the help Agrias..." Ramza said as he got up and turned to leave the room.

"We're not done yet." Agrias said menacingly.

"We're...we're not...?" Squeaked a cowering Ramza. He saw Agrias get up and make her way over to a cabinet, then pull out a small brown bottle. He knew what was coming. Every time he had gotten a scrape or cut as a child, his mother would bring out the...

"Rubbing alcohol." Agrias said, pointing to the bottle. "We can't let that get infected."

"No no no no no!" Ramza whined, backing into a corner. "Anything but that!"

"You've faced demons of the underworld and emerged victorious, but yet, you're afraid of a little antibiotic?" Agrias said, smirking all the while.

"That stuff hurts!" Ramza shouted.

"It's supposed to." Agrias told him. "That means it's working. Now come over here and take it like a man."

Ramza thought about making a break for the door, but he knew he'd never get past Agrias. She was a bit taller than he was, and alot stronger. Weighing the pros and cons of his chance at a daring escape, Ramza ultimately decided to just take his licks. He walked back over to the chair he was sitting in and readied himself.

"Fine, go ahead."

"That's better." Agrias applauded. The older woman sprinkled some of the liquid onto her hands and then placed them on Ramza's back. Ramza nearly jumped out of his seat when he felt the sting. It hurt like nothing else, but he knew this had to be done.

"At least you've stopped squirming." Agrias said.

"Thanks, I guess..." Ramza accepted Agrias' attempt at a compliment.

"Does it really hurt that badly?" Agrias asked as she continued to rub the disinfecting liquid across Ramza's back.

"You have no idea..." Ramza said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, fine..."

Ramza continued to endure the sting, but seconds later, he felt a cool, refreshing breeze brush across his back. But looking at the window in the room, he saw it to be shut tightly.

"Huh...?" Ramza said, looking back once more. He saw Agrias had removed her hands and was now blowing softly on the dressed wound. Her breath tickled every piece of skin that was still alive in that area. Ramza shuddered in embarrassment, turning back to look at the wall. He covered his face with his hands and hoped that Agrias wouldn't see him blushing.

"You can stop being so nervous, Ramza, this isn't anything I haven't seen before." Agrias said.

"How did...!" Exclaimed Ramza, his head rocketing out of his hands.

Agrias pointed to a mirror that was hung on the wall but a few feet from the two.

"Oh God..." Ramza muttered. "This isn't happening..."

"There we are. All finished." He heard Agrias say. "We should let the wound breathe a bit before we cover it again."

"Okay..." Ramza said, getting to his feet once more. He made his way over to the mirror and turned his back to it, examining the mark that was burned into his skin.

"How horrid..." Ramza said in disgust.

"..." Agrias remained silent.

Ramza had...a very nice body, Agrias thought to herself. This was the first time she had seen him without any sort of armor on his torso. While still a child compared to the four years senior woman, he bore the chiseled frame of any battle hardened veteran of war. This wasn't the Ramza that Agrias had first met. In fact, the first time they did meet, Agrias thought the boy was much too frail and petite to even stand a chance in the situation he was in. That Ramza Beoulve had since gone away, replaced now with a scarred, but solid specimen of a soldier.

Now Agrias was the one turning away in embarrassment. She smacked herself across the cheek to try and get the image of Ramza's bare chest out of her mind, but seconds later she was turning in place, gaze once again locked on Ramza.

"Agrias." Ramza called out.

"Agrias?" He called out again.

"Agrias!"

"...Huh!" Agrias grunted. "Oh, did you say something Ramza?"

"Uh, no, not really...nevermind..." Ramza said, taking a seat once more.

Sounds of stifled laughter could be heard from outside the room. Both Agrias and Ramza turned to the door. With one deft motion, Agrias flung herself at the door and wrenched it open.

"Can I help the two of you?" Agrias sneered at Lavian and Alicia.

"Agrias!" Lavian shrieked.

"Please forgive us for our rudeness! It was all Lavian's idea!" Alicia yelled.

"Shouldn't the two of you be on patrol, or something of that matter?" Agrias asked.

"Y...yes of course! We're late as it is! Let's go Lavian!" Alicia ordered, dragging Lavian away by the collar of her armor.

_"Did you see that?" _Lavian whispered, trying not to look at Agrias, who continued to watch the two like a hawk as they got further and further away.

_"I did!" _Alicia whispered back.

Agrias slammed the door shut, shaking her head disdainfully.

"Shouldn't you be going with them?" Ramza inquired.

"I can't."

"Why not? You're their leader, aren't you?"

"Not anymore." Said Agrias.

"What do you mean?" Ramza delved.

Agrias flicked her braided hair over her shoulders and leaned against the door.

"It's just as I said, I am not their leader anymore. I was forced to resign from the Atkascha Knighthood."

"What!" Ramza yelled in disbelief, eyes bulging all the while. "Forced to resign? How come?"

"To be frank, I was forced to resign because of _you."_

"M...me?" Ramza stuttered. "You had to resign because of me?"

"That's right, I need not repeat myself. Because of my allying with you during the Lion War, I too became a target of the church."

"Those bastards..." Ramza grimaced. "I thought they were only after me..."

"I'm afraid not. But with our apparent deaths at Murond, we were cleared of any crimes. You however, with your supposed sighting near your gravesite by Olan Durai, proved to the church that you were more than likely still alive, which is why they continue to hunt for your head."

"But what does this have to do with you having to resign because of me?"

"Let me finish." Agrias said, her voice beginning to sound a bit temper mental. "I was forced to resign, because if I remained in my current position, the Church would learn of my survival and come after me as well. Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn thought it best to have me forfeit my title, my unit, and my existence to protect my life from their wrath. As far as the Church knows, Agrias Oaks was killed along with Ramza Beoulve and all of his other followers at Murond Death City. So you see, I am no longer a Holy Knight, nor am I even a part of this knighthood. I'm just...here."

"...I can understand how you feel." Ramza said, trying to console the former knight.

"How could you even begin to understand my plight...?" Agrias said bitterly. She then stopped herself and remembered all of what Ramza had been through, as she was there to witness it all unfold.

"Forgive me, that was improper and very ignorant." Apologized Agrias.

"It's okay, I don't mind if you're angry at me for what I've put you through."

"I'm not entirely angry, though." Agrias spoke again.

"Why not?"

"It is true that giving up my life as a Holy Knight was the hardest thing I've ever done, but some good came of this sacrifice."

"Like what?" Ramza continued to pry.

"You ask too many questions." Agrias snorted. "But I'll tell you, just so that I may finally get this off of my chest."

"I'll listen." Ramza said warmly.

"Since the time of my discharge, which was I believe about six months ago, I discovered something that I never thought possible. I discovered another side of myself."

"Another side?"

"A side I thought I never would be able to show to anyone, a side I kept locked away even from myself. One of compassion, and understanding. This is a side I never knew I had. Without all the pressures of the knighthood bearing down on me, I was able to find this new part of myself. I've been doing a lot of thinking since my release from the unit."

"Thinking?"

"Thinking of what my place in this world is, now that I've been removed from fealty. What I do beyond my former life, how I go about doing it, where it will lead me, these are questions I have been asking myself every day for the past few months. It frightens me at some point or another, but at the same time, it also endows me with a new power to continue on, no longer a knight, but as a normal woman."

"And this is because of me as well?" Ramza queried.

"It is." Answered the ex-knight. "So you see, I'm not entirely angry at you for this happening, I am somewhat grateful."

"So tell me," Ramza started. "If you are no longer a Holy Knight, why do you continue to wear the armor of one?"

"Because I happen to like this armor, thank you very much." Agrias said in a huff. "But it is not the only thing I wear nowadays."

"Oh? What else do you wear then?"

"Th...that's not your business!" Agrias fumed.

Ramza narrowed his eyes slyly at Agrias, a grin coming across his face.

"What?" Agrias said, stupefied by what Ramza's smirk was all about.

"You know, earlier today, I saw someone asleep at the end of the bed I was in."

"An attendant, nothing more." Agrias said.

"Oh, I don't think it was that." Ramza said with a snicker. "Her beauty, it was much too familiar to be some random stranger."

"You're far too easily swayed by a pretty face, Ramza Beoulve." Agrias said, turning to leave. She placed her hand on the doorknob and prepared to turn it.

"She radiated like a heavenly being, she was practically...angelic."

Agrias' hands went cold.

"I...I know no one of which you speak. As I said, you are too easily intimidated by a woman's looks."

Agrias opened the door and tried to exit, but Ramza spoke again.

"I am when such beauty is so familiar."

Agrias stopped dead in her tracks, frozen in the archway of the door.

"...you left your flower in here, by the way." Ramza said.

"Oh lord..." Agrias grumbled, storming back into the room, the door slamming shut again behind her.

"Fine, you found me out." Sighed a downtrodden Agrias. "This is the most embarrassing thing I have ever..." She trailed off.

"Here you go." Ramza said holding out his right hand. In it was the lilac from before. Agrias snatched the flower from Ramza's hand and shoved it in her pocket. She saw Ramza smiling at her all the while, childishly.

"Would you stop it already!" Yelled Agrias. "Are you going to mock me now?"

"Not at all." Ramza said. "I think that look was quite becoming of you, Agrias."

"Stop it, would you, this is awkward enough as it is." Demanded Agrias.

"Ha ha ha, okay okay, I'll stop."

"At least you're in better spirits now, I just wish it weren't at my own expense..." Agrias mumbled. "I think it's about time to cover your wounds now."

"Okay." Ramza said, sitting perfectly still. "I won't fidget this time, your ladyship, I promise, heh."

"You're just asking for another smack upside the head, aren't you Ramza? I surely don't remember you being this rowdy."

"Maybe I've changed, maybe I haven't. Your words, Agrias."

Agrias shook her head, then grabbed another roll of fresh bandage. She sat down behind Ramza and prepared to rewrap the wound. As she pulled the bandage around her fingers, Agrias took a long look of what was actually on Ramza's back. It took her a few seconds to actually decipher anything, but she could then make out what appeared to be some sort of mark.

"My God...what IS this hideous thing?"

"A reminder of my failure to protect Alma, and myself..." Ramza said solemnly.

Agrias traced her finger along the edge of the cut, making sure she was actually seeing what she was seeing. There was no doubt though. It was the number three with an upside down cross in the lower half of the numeral. The mark was colored red, that of Ramza's blood, with hints of black along the number.

"Such a blasphemous mark..." Agrias said, wincing at the sight of the grotesque sign.

"The Reverse Trinity. A mark that will lead to my ultimate destruction, brought about by my own hands, provoked by the theft of all that I hold dear to me." Said Ramza cryptically.

"What is this of which you speak?" Inquired Agrias.

"I too am not without my other side, Agrias." Ramza told her. "But unlike you, my other side is one of corruption."

"That's the most ridiculous thing..."

"It's true." Ramza cut her off. "I don't know what brought it about, but deep inside me, I feel this rage. A rage that is eating away at me, minute by minute. That rage was being suppressed with my removal from the troubles of Ivalice, and Alma helped keep it locked within me. But with her gone, I feel myself being drawn back in to this struggle, and the rage continues to burn within me. I must save Alma, not just for her sake, but for my own."

"Such a sad fate that has been cast upon you, Ramza..." Agrias said dejectedly.

"There's nothing I can do about it Agrias. My fate was decided the second I involved myself in the war against the Lucavi. My only hope now is to find Alma and once again vanish forever into the horizon."

"Do you really believe that is possible?" Agrias asked. "I mean, if what you say is true, then you are forever bound to Ivalice and its problems."

"What's your point?"

"Instead of turning away and refusing to face your fate, why not meet it head on? I've never seen you run from anything, Ramza Beoulve, and I certainly don't want to see it happen now."

"I don't know..." Melancholy filled Ramza's voice

_"I also don't want you to go away again..."_

"Hmm? What did you just say Agrias?"

"I said...hold still, this will hurt a bit."

Agrias wrapped the bandage around Ramza's waist and began trailing it up his torso.

"Ow ow ow ow ow...!"

"What did I say about squirming?" Threatened Agrias. Ramza tried his best to remain still as Agrias led the bandages up his chest.

"There, all finished." Announced Agrias, clapping her hands together proudly. "Not a bad job, if I do say so myself."

Ramza looked himself up and down in the mirror. The work was clearly professional. He nodded in approval.

"It's great, thank you very much Agrias."

"Think nothing of it."

"So, you are setting out tomorrow then?" Agrias inquired.

"I am, Alma is out there, somewhere, I just have to start looking."

"Is blindly searching really the best way to go about this?"

"It's all I can do at this point."

"I think that there may be another way." Agrias poised. "But it involves the Holy Stones."

Ramza crossed his arms and sighed.

"I can't, they must remain hidden. I don't want them in another mortal's hands, even if it is that of the Atkascha family. I trust them, but this just is not something I want to risk."

"I never said anything about giving them to the Royal Family." Agrias said.

"Then what?"

"I believe that you and I should go and fetch the stones. We both know we are capable handlers of them, so we can resist the temptations, right?"

"I don't know..." Ramza mumbled to himself.

"They have power to do bad things, yes, but they also hold power to do wondrous things, it all depends on the person who calls upon them." Agrias said.

"Yes, I know, but..."

"But what? Why is it that you do not want to go back and get the stones?"

"It's because...I'm afraid..."

"Afraid? What are you afraid of?"

"I can't go back there...I don't want to see that again...to see what has happened because of my incompetence and cowardice..."

"..." Agrias said nothing as she walked over to Ramza and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Agrias...?"

"Do not worry, Ramza, as I will be there with you. You can trust in me, right?"

"Of course..."

"Then there is nothing to be concerned about. You and I will undertake this journey together."

"But I can't get you involved in this Agrias!"

"It's much too late for that, Ramza."

Ramza knew that Agrias wouldn't let this go, so he decided it best not to try and object any further than he had already attempted.

"Okay...but what if the Royal Family finds out you left without permission?"

"Need I remind you again, that Agrias Oaks the Holy Knight, is no more? I am just Agrias Oaks, I am free to do whatever I want to now. And I want to help you, Ramza."

Ramza looked into Agrias' eyes, and he could tell her words were true.

"Okay..." Ramza finally submitted. "We'll leave tomorrow morning, before everyone is awake. That should give us ample time to get there before anyone notices we're gone."

"Very good then." Agrias said. "I will see you tomorrow morning then, Ramza. Sleep well."

Ramza turned to look out the window as Agrias left the room. He heard the door shut behind him, but continued to stare out at the night sky.

_Alma...I'm going to save you, count on it._

Finally deciding to retire for the night, Ramza left the room and returned to the one he was in this morning. As he opened the door, he found a sight that made his heart nearly jump out of his chest.

"Ag...!" Ramza's cry was cut short before it even escaped his throat.

Agrias' naked body shone in the bright moonlight, her armor in a heap on the floor near her feet. Her hair was let down and hung loosely over her shoulders. Her sultry curves set aglow by the lunar rays, Agrias looked to be a Goddess that had descended from the heavens. The lilac she wore was once again in her hair, setting off her succulent flesh with perfect tone. Ramza's body locked up, he couldn't move. He remained completely still, not making a sound. Ramza barely had the mental capacity to even breathe due to the shock.

Agrias slipped into a nightgown, pulling the rest of her hair through the collar. She looked at herself in the mirror, and then began to turn around.

Ramza panicked, bolting for the hallway with so much force, that he didn't even pay attention to where he was going. His blind dash was met by with a collision with a passing knight. The two slammed into each other, then lay on the ground, sprawled out.

"Ow!" Steamed the knight. "Watch where you're going, would ya!"

"Sorry, sorry, my mistake!" Ramza yelped as he scrambled to his feet and returned to the room where he had been patched up. Agrias peeked her head out of her now ajar door.

"What is all the ruckus about? Some of us would like to get some sleep, you know."

"My apologies, Lady Agrias." Said the knight."That kid just came running through here like a bat out of hell."

"Oh really?" Smirked Agrias. "I now see why my door was slightly opened."

"That kid...he was peeping in on you!" The knight bellowed. "Such perverted action will not be tolerated, I shall inform Lord Farnei at once!"

"You'll do nothing of the sort." Agrias silenced the knight. "You saw nothing of what happened here, is that understood?"

"But Lady Agrias...!"

"I'll not say it again." Agrias warned, tapping her foot on the ground. "Do not test my patience."

"...yes, Lady Agrias."

The knight sulked down the hallway, continuing on with his business.

"He's more rebellious than I thought..." Agrias said, snickering to herself as she shut her door.

Meanwhile, Ramza was huddled into the corner of his new bedroom, writhing in fear.

"I'll be lucky if I make it to get the stones now..." He winced, thinking of the sure anger and retaliation that would be brought down on his head come the next morning.

Ramza slept with one eye open that night...


	5. Lost and Found

Chapter 4: Lost and Found

Ramza crept into the chocobo stables with great fervor. It was bordering on dawn, the sun had not even begun to rise over the horizon, leaving the stables bathed in a medium of light and dark. The second they heard a sound resonate throughout the area, all of the yellow bird mounts perked their heads up. They saw the stranger enter their domicile and open the pen to one of their own.

"Don't be afraid." Ramza cooed to the chocobo whose reigns were now in his hands. "I'm a friend."

He scratched the underside of the chocobo's beak, trying to tame the feathered steed. The chocobo cocked its head and Ramza, then let out a calm, "Wark."

"Thanks." Ramza said, smiling at the chocobo. He hooked one foot in the stirrup and lifted himself into the saddle.

"You certainly have a way with animals, Ramza." Ramza heard Agrias' voice come from the door. The former knight entered as quietly as possible, shutting the door behind her the very same way.

"It's a gift, I guess." Ramza answered sheepishly.

Ramza nudged the chocobo, and it began to walk out of the stables. Agrias opened the wide double doors leading out into the pasture. The world now stood before the two, just awakening to a new day.

"I'll wait." Ramza prompted, halting the chocobo's advance.

"Wait for what?" Agrias asked.

"For you to get your own chocobo."

"I don't think so." Agrias snorted.

"Huh?"

Without another word, Agrias grabbed hold of Ramza's arm and hoisted herself into the saddle right behind him. Ramza froze up instantly.

"This is best, Ramza. If two chocobos are missing, more suspicion will arise. If only one is missing, it may not even be noticed."

"But I thought you said you're able to do as you please now?"

"I am, but these chocobos belong to the Knights, we're borrowing one without permission."

"I guess I see your point, but...is this really wise...?" Said an embarrassed Ramza.

"This is your quest Ramza, not mine. I'm merely here as your support. You lead, I follow, just like before, right?"

"I know, still..."

"Ohhhh, I get it, you think I'm too heavy for this chocobo to bear both of our weight, is that it?" Agrias said with a sneer.

"Wha...?" Ramza said, nearly falling out of the saddle.

"Hmph, that's what it is." Agrias said, her face puckering up. "How rude of you, Ramza, to insist something like that! I am deeply offended. A lady is very sensitive about her weight, just as she is her age."

"Sorry..." Ramza muttered.

"You're wonderful with animals, but you've alot to learn about women. I swear, how did Alma ever put up with you?"

Ramza shook his head and sighed.

"My, aren't we in a cheerful mood this morning..." He muttered.

"Ha ha ha." Agrias laughed lightly. "It is so easy to make you flustered, you may have changed on the outside, but you're still the same timid boy I remember from the Lion War."

"Was that a compliment?" Ramza poised.

"Did you take it as an insult?"

"No, I just..."

Ramza shook his head.

"Nevermind. Let's just go, we've got a long trip ahead of us, this isn't the time to be discussing these types of matters."

"Of course." Agrias nodded. "Let us be off."

Agrias brought her arms around Ramza's waist, further causing the boy to freeze up. The two sat there on the chocobo for a few moments, none of them moving an inch.

"Any day now would be nice, Ramza..." Agrias mumbled.

"Oh!" Ramza snapped back into attention, finally bucking the chocobo. The bird started into a steady gallop, and the two rode off into the morning light.

"So tell me Ramza," Agrias started. "What have you been doing since your time the Lion War ended? You already know what happened to me, so I'd like to hear about you."

"Not much of anything happened, really..." Ramza said.

"Come now, be fair Ramza. I shared my past with you, now share yours with me."

"Does it really matter that much Agrias?"

"Of course it does!" Fumed Agrias. "We're...friends, aren't we?"

Ramza looked back at Agrias' last sentence. He could tell she had trouble saying that word to him. This certainly wasn't the same Agrias he remembered. She could still talk in her usual monotone voice and be the most loyal and intimidating compatriot around, but there was something about her actions that showcased a definite change in her overall being. He was once again caught off guard by her apparent change in personality.

"Well?" Agrias said again.

"Of course we're friends, Agrias. Did you ever think we weren't?"

"Perhaps a time or two..."

"Really? When was this?"

"I believe it was..."

Agrias' shoulders drooped, and her face twisted up. She removed one her arms from around Ramza's waist and gave him a swift elbow to the back.

"Ow!" Ramza grunted. "What was that for!"

"I said we were talking about YOUR past, not mine." Reprimanded Agrias.

"Oh, right..." Ramza said.

Agrias just snickered to herself at Ramza's boyish charm. It was true that he had long since become a man in both body and mind, but he still retained that same endearing trait of childhood innocence, it was something that never seemed to change with him. He could be as serious as he could possibly be, but he'd still show some small sense of immaturity and carelessness, like that of a child who had just ventured into the grand world for the very first time.

That immaturity was something Agrias always found appealing in Ramza. While others were callous during times of desperation, Ramza still put his best face forward, for himself, and for those around him. He'd always try to warrant some small shred of a smile, even when things seemed to be the most bleak. Combined with his unbreakable sense of justice, Agrias had found what she could finally call a "friend." She had her comrades, her fellow knights and such, and commanded vast respect during her prime, but all of that seemed painfully fleeting.

Agrias' discharge from the Knights was almost the final blow to her integrity. Those she once led advanced well ahead of her in rank and status, while she was left on the wayside as "just a normal woman," Agrias felt herself beginning to grow further and further distant from the world. All she could do was simply "exist." This certainly wasn't nearly enough for Agrias, she desired much more from life than to sit on the sidelines while history passed her by without even taking a second glance. No, she was Agrias Oaks, and she deserved much better. But in an effort to safeguard her own life, as depressing as it were, she renounced everything. Agrias had seemingly lost everything, and it was brought about by her own will.

But, all was not lost for the former knight. _He_ was still alive, and here they were, united once more in another quest. A quest not as glorified as the Lion War or as devious as the struggle against the Lucavi, but one that equaled both the former events in purpose and importance. This was a quest to save Ramza Beoulve from his wretched past.

Agrias had already prepared herself to go to whatever lengths necessary to aid Ramza, as he, in all his boyish glory and justified spirit, was ready to do just the same.

The bond of justice that the two shared in the Lion War still remained, now further strengthened by what could surely be called friendship. Not just trust, not just camaraderie, but true friendship.

"I really don't think there's much to say about what happened..." Ramza mumbled.

"It matters not Ramza," Agrias said. "I am all ears."

"Okay...when I came to after Altima's final attack, I found myself still covering Alma. I tried to move, but my entire body felt like it had been broken. I thought I was going to die right then and there. But just as I felt myself slipping away, Alma used her last bit of clerical power and healed my most severe and life threatening wounds. She saved my life. After which, she took me to a place where she thought we could finally live in peace. She nursed me back to health, not one wound went untreated with Alma watching over me."

"Such a devout sibling you have." Agrias nodded in approval.

"It took its toll on her though. Time and again, she would collapse from exhaustion. I could tell she hardly ever got any sleep, and that's because she was always watching over me. She put her own well-being to the side while making mine the most prominent. I'm ashamed for making my sister go through all of that."

"Surely you didn't think she'd just let you perish?"

"No, I knew she'd never let that happen. She and I need each other for the same reasons, we help each other co-exist with the world that, to this day, continues to spurn our names. Just as I would do anything for Alma, I believe she would do anything for me."

"And she did." Agrias pointed out.

"That's right. So you see Agrias, I must save Alma. She needs me, and I need her."

"I do see it." Agrias said. "I will help you however I am able to. I only ask one request in return for my efforts."

"What's that?"

"I ask that you do not vanish into oblivion as you had before. You have other friends who need you as well. Friends that still believe you are dead. I was just fortunate enough to find that was not true."

"But..."

"That is all I ask Ramza. Please, have consideration for those who fought by your side. They too lost something in that explosion. They lost a dear friend and a leader unlike any other they had seen before. Their actions, sacrifices, and valor should be repaid with closure of what they remember as a tragedy."

"...I...I can't..."

"Of course you can." Agrias said confidently. "You won't go away again, I myself shall make sure of that."

"Agrias..."

"We will deal with those church scumbags when the time is right. But for now, you must let all of us who walked that very same path you did bear this weight you, for some reason, want to keep only to yourself. That is not only selfish, but it is also frightening."

"It is...?"

"Yes. To see you as you are now, completely the opposite of the Ramza I remember, one who bears nothing but grief and pain, that is terrifying to me."

"That's certainly not like you Agrias." Ramza said.

"The Agrias you may have once known no longer exists." Said Agrias. "Only I remain, still Agrias Oaks in name, but a completely different woman in spirit. And it is partly because of you that I have become this way."

Ramza sighed, then returned his eyes to the road before him. Agrias wasn't finished though.

"Don't be so quiet," Agrias huffed. "I know damn well you never once looked at me like a soldier, right?"

"Well..." Ramza started to say.

"I knew it." Agrias cut him off forcefully. "Many a time your words of compassion bounced off me, but they eventually found their way back into my heart, I only just recently found how truly wonderful they were."

"I'm glad you finally did see." Ramza beamed.

"...As am I, Ramza, as am I."

The morning soon turned into mid-day, and the two had finally stumbled upon the burned out husk of wood that was once a home.

"There it is..." Whispered Ramza as he dismounted from the chocobo. Agrias followed soon after. Ramza made his way into the charred frame of the cottage, scouring the area with abound, until finally stopping in one room. He thrust his hands into the ash and earth, and began to dig madly at the ground. Agrias watched all the while as he did so.

"Good," Ramza heaved a sigh of relief. "They're still here."

Withdrawing a pouch from the hole he had just made, Ramza unlaced the rope keeping the wool bag closed and dumped its contents onto the ground. Stones of all different shades of color spilled onto the soot.

"The Holy Stones." Agrias mused. "So you did have them, after all."

"Of course." Ramza said. "It's my job to make sure no one ever uses these for the wrong reasons ever again."

Shuffling through the colored rocks, Ramza withdrew a blue stone and held it up to his face.

"The Virgo." Ramza told Agrias. "This is the stone that Alma had with her when she became Ajora."

"I remember." Agrias said, kneeling down and taking hold of one of the other stones. "So you believe that with the stone your sister once held, we will be able to find her?"

"It's my only lead, so I must try, even if I am committing such a hypocritical action of using these for my own needs."

"Your need is not one of decadence like those who used them before you." Agrias pointed out. "Let us see what Virgo will tell us."

The two looked deep into the sea blue stone, awaiting an answer to the situation that plagued them.

"Hold it right there!" A new voice rang out through the area. Ramza hurriedly stuffed Virgo, along with all the remaining stones, into the pouch and hid it under his arm. The two stood up and turned around to meet a small group consisting of six people.

"Heretic Ramza!" The lead figure boomed. "Your crimes against God end here! It is time that you repent for your sins against the great nation of Ivalice, and the almighty!"

"You church bastards never know when to quit..." Agrias spat as she stepped in front of Ramza, drawing her sword.

"Who are you!" Shrieked the leader.

Looking back once at Ramza, who was still trying to conceal the pouch containing the Holy Stones, Agrias knew she had two options. She could abandon Ramza to the church, in turn giving them the stones, and Ramza himself, in exchange for her own life. Ramza was the ultimate trump card, and it would be utterly simple for Agrias to bargain her way out of his confrontation.

The other option was to stand against the church, even though she was only one person. She would feel the angst and bitterness of the church and all their followers bear down on her, as they had on Ramza for so long, and surely crush her under their weight.

A free ticket out or a meaningless death in obscurity.

Agrias knew her answer. She lifted her sword up and pointed it at the leader of the troops.

"If you want him, you must go through me." Challenged Agrias. "I too am a Heretic, one of God's strays who has lost her way. My name is Agrias Oaks."

"Another of Ramza Beoulve's followers! So there were others who lived through the events at Murond!" Bellowed the leader.

"It's a pagan examiner." Ramza said as he came to Agrias' side. "A lap dog from the church, sent to kill me."

"That won't happen." Agrias reassured him. "I'll cut these filthy swine down where they stand."

"I'm staying to help." Ramza said.

Giving him the once over, Agrias saw that Ramza possessed no form of armament, he wasn't even wearing any sort of armor. She, however, was still clad in her divine Holy Knight attire, matching sword and all.

"Get the stones out of here." Agrias ordered, shoving Ramza back behind her.

"No! I'm not leaving you here!"

"Spare me," Agrias scoffed. "You honestly think I'd let these simpletons defeat me? I deserve more credit than that, Ramza."

"But...!"

"Go!" Agrias demanded. Reluctantly stepping back, Ramza began a mad dash for the chocobo that was tied to a nearby tree.

"Stop him!" The examiner barked. Three of the five infantry began their advance. There were two knights, and one monk. In the back stood an archer, readying his bow, and a mage, focusing his mind to unleash an elemental barrage.

Agrias took a deep breath. It had been a long time since she had been in a battle, but the way of a warrior was always a part of her, she could never forget it. Heavily outnumbered, Agrias prepared herself for the worst. Letting the charging knights come to her, Agrias readied her sword...

As he reached the chocobo, Ramza stopped and looked back. Taking the bag of stones from his side, he tied it to the saddle of the bird, then released the restraints of the chocobo. With a mighty slap of the beast's rear, the bird took off running into the distance, its only passenger, a wool pouch...


	6. No Mercy for the Damned

Chapter 5: No Mercy for the Damned

Assessing the situation, Agrias knew that this would be a difficult battle in which she stood little chance of survival. Her swordsmanship, while never forgotten, was terribly rusty. The last time she had taken up a sword against another living thing was the fight against Altima. Since then, Agrias had never even been in a sparring match against a human opponent, and now here she stood, against five of them.

The odds stacked against her, Agrias readied herself for what was going to be her last fight. The final struggle of the former Holy Knight, snuffed out by followers of the very religion she had gained her status of. It was terribly ironic, and Agrias winced at the thought of it.

The two knights leading the assault were only a few yards away. Agrias brought her sword close and went on the defensive. She had to buy Ramza as much time as possible so that he could escape with the stones. Agrias refused to let these heathens of the church have the icons, lest they bring about chaos and destruction once more. She would not let that happen, she was going to resist with every inch of her being. Every fiber of life was being put into this final hurrah.

"Perish, follower of the Heretic!" The first knight screamed, thrusting his saber at Agrias with reckless abandon. Agrias quickly sidestepped the attack, and the knight was sent bumbling forward. Agrias was about to capitalize on the rookie mistake of the knight, but had to break away when the other knight came to aid his partner. Letting loose a series of sword strikes, the second knight pushed Agrias away from the first, who had just recovered from his failed attack.

Agrias barely was able to deflect the slashes. Sparks flew from both blades of the fighters as they collided, illuminating even further the intensity on the faces of the combatants.

Jumping back to his comrade's side, the two knights then came at Agrias as a team. This time, their combined efforts proved successful. Agrias was only able to hold off one of them. As her blade was sent to the ground, Agrias dropped to her knees.

"Rot in the depths of hell, enemy of God!" The second knight bellowed, raising his sword above Agrias' head, preparing to cut her down. However, Agrias Oaks was not about to be killed so easily...

The sword of the knight descended onto Agrias, but the nimble woman quickly countered, clapping the blade between her palms. She felt her hands being ripped open by the edge of the blade, and blood began pouring down the cold steel, dripping off the hilt. But Agrias firmly held her ground. With all of her strength, she shoved the sword backwards, and the butt of the weapon was thrust back at its wielder, striking him in the sternum. The wind knocked out of him, the knight was vulnerable for a brief second. Agrias took advantage, using the small window of opportunity to sweep her foot along the ground. Her boot struck the shin of the knight, and he crumpled to the ground. The second knight reacted accordingly, but was not fast enough. Agrias wrestled the sword out of the first knight's hands and held the point of the blade at the second's. Agrias placed her foot on the throat of the first knight, keeping him pinned to the ground and continuously gasping for breath.

Suddenly, she felt a horrendous pain in her left shoulder. She looked over and saw that it was an arrow. She had forgotten about the archer! The projectile was lodged well into her arm, she could feel her muscles torn by it. This weakened her grip on the sword she held, and the knight being held at bay ducked out of the blade's range. Agrias turned to strike, but the other knight under her foot also took the initiative, grabbing Agrias' boot and pulling her leg out from under her. She was then thrown to the ground by the first knight, hitting the grass with a hard thud.

"That was an impressive show of resistance, Heretic Agrias." Applauded the examiner. "But you can never escape the wrath of God."

"I want nothing to do with your idea of a God..." Said Agrias bitterly.

"Worry not, as you'll soon be meeting the exact opposite." Retorted the examiner.

With a signal to the knights, they lifted Agrias off the ground and held her up, wrenching her arms behind her back. The archer withdrew another arrow from his quiver and took aim at Agrias' heart. Agrias thrashed as hard as she could, but was not able to break free from the total strength of the duo knights.

This was it, Agrias was going to die. It sickened Agrias to know that this was how she would exit the mortal world, struck down by the people she despised the most. But she knew, just as the day she first joined Ramza's crusade, that she was going to have a target on her head. It was only a matter of time before her survival at Murond was uncovered, and now the final moments of Agrias Oaks were quickly fading away. Shutting her eyes to block out the disgusting smiles on the faces of the knights holding her and the arrogant smirk on the examiner, Agrias prepared for death.

_"I've done all that I can." _Agrias thought solemnly to herself. _"I only wish I had not forsaken my warrior heritage as I have, perhaps then I could've helped you much more than this._

The string of the archer's bow tightened with the arrow...

_"I'll wait for you..."_

_**"Agrias!" **_

"He's come back!" Bellowed the examiner. "Forget the woman, kill Heretic Ramza!"

"What...!" Agrias said in shock, her eyes shooting open and darting to the corner of their sockets, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening behind her. The two knights restraining her released their grip, forcing her forward with a hard shove. Using the rear of his sword, the first knight struck Agrias across the back of her head, stunning her. The former knight fell to the ground, eyes rolled into the back of her head from the force of the hit.

Ramza watched all the while as the two knights relinquished their attention on Agrias and then began to charge at him madly. Ramza's mind was racing a mile a minute. He was unarmed, with no way of standing against a pair of fighters wielding razor sharp blades. It would be easy to just run away, but Agrias lay there, completely helpless, and Ramza swore long ago never to leave a friend behind. Today was not going to be a day he went back on his word. Thinking nothing of his own safety, Ramza began a blind charge at the knights.

"This is it!" Gloated the examiner proudly. "Never again shall we be in fear of this wretched boy undermining our ways!"

However, much to the examiner's dismay, Ramza broke off from his charge just before the collision of the three, switching directions agilely with a quick turn on his heel. The much slower knights swung their swords in time to hit the open air. Juking past the two with ease, the unarmed and unarmored Ramza was already at Agrias' side by the time the two cumbersome melees had turned around.

Taking up Agrias' sword in his hands, Ramza looked down at her. She was still alive, but for the moment, unconscious. He could see blood oozing from her hands and the back of her head. It was beginning to stain her beautiful golden locks. In countless situations, Ramza had seen bloodletting in his time on the many battlefields the Lion War had put him in, but this time, it was one of his own. One of his cherished friends was critically injured, and if not treated, would surely die.

Ramza never wanted to see anyone so helpless, especially not a strong woman like Agrias. He always looked up to her confidence and honor, silently modeling himself in her image. Upon their first meeting, Ramza was captivated by this woman's unbreakable sense of justice and her aura of pure will. It was something he himself exhibited, but only through his many trials with Agrias at his side did those similar feelings begin to grow stronger within him.

Agrias was Ramza's unknown mentor, a person he looked up to with great admiration. But now, she lay on the ground, bleeding heavily from a battle she had no chance of winning. It was then that Ramza felt the hatred begin to flow through his veins. His adrenaline surged throughout his body, giving him a severe combat high. But not only was it internal body functions kicking in, it was that all too familiar urge that lay dormant within Ramza...

The urge...to kill.

Ramza's hands clenched tightly around the handle of Agrias' sword. The boy gritted his teeth, trying to force the notion to vanish once again, but it would not be denied. These scoundrels had no right to involve Agrias in Ramza's affairs, but yet they did just that, and treated her the exact same way they did him.

_Was this what Agrias fought in the name of God for! _Brooded Ramza. Pulling the sword to his side, Ramza's eyes became narrow slits, shooting a look at the knights that was enough to melt the coldest block of ice in a matter of seconds.

Sensing something was amiss, the two knights charged once more, they and the entire unit of the examiner wanted to end the battle before the tides even had a remote chance to turn.

"Fire!" Barked the examiner. The archer let loose with another arrow. The projectile arched high into the air, then clipped Ramza's side. He was struck, and lurched forward from the force of the shot. The first knight rammed he shoulder into the gut of Ramza, and he was sent sprawling to the ground. The sword he held landed a few feet away, well out of his grasp.

Ramza instinctively tried to make a scramble for the blade, but was halted when the tip of the first knight's sword floated a millimeter away from his chest.

"Give my regards to the devil." Jeered the knight.

Ramza spat at the knight, the saliva splattering against his face. This only made the knight seem even more jubilant, and he held the blade a centimeter from Ramza's chest, letting the boy contemplate his last thoughts. Ramza's face, however, showed no sign of fear. Any ounce of fear was drowned out by the shame Ramza was feeling right now.

_"I'm sorry Alma...I failed you..."_

Before he knew what was happening, Ramza felt something come over like a shield. As he focused his attention back on reality, Ramza saw that he was face to face with Agrias. Her hair, stained with crimson blood, cascaded down onto his face, tickling every nerve in his body. Agrias stared at him compassionately, something Ramza had never once seen before from her.

"Agrias! Don't do this!" Ramza yelled at Agrias, trying to force her off him, but she would not budge. From behind her he could see the knight raise and bring his sword down upon the two.

Ramza gasped, but it was cut short by the feeling of the blade being driven deep into his stomach. The cold steel tore through his innards, letting the blood flow openly and freely from the wounds. It gushed out onto Agrias' armor, which was also stained with blood, not just from her head, not just from her hands, but from her back and stomach as well.

"A...Agrias...why...?" Ramza choked out. Both Ramza and Agrias were fading fast. With his final ounce of strength, Ramza brought his hand to Agrias' and held it tightly. He could feel the blood still seeping out from the wounds, but that only made him clutch it tighter. Agrias barely had the will to respond, bringing her slender fingers up and intertwining them with Ramza's.

"You...lead...I follow..." Agrias said, coughing up blood onto Ramza's face. The two's eyes closed at the same time, and their bodies went limp.

"Praise God!" The knights celebrated. "The Heretic Ramza is dead!"

A loud cheer rose up among the examiner and his troops. The knights saluted each other, the monk pumped his fists in victory, the archer released a victory arrow into the air, and the mage simply clapped his hands.

"God's will be done!" Beamed the examiner as he looked at the triumphant knights standing over the bodies of their enemies.

Both Ramza and Agrias lay on the ground, motionless, pinned by a sword that was impaled through the both of them. Ramza Beoulve had finally been purged by the Church of Glabados, and there would never again be mention of his name or his legacy...

_No mercy for the damned... _A haunting voice floated in on the winds.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" Demanded the examiner, scanning the area in a panic.

_Just as God's will be done, so too shall the Devil's...arise, corrupted warrior..._

"Sir, look!" The archer shouted, pointing to the two slain warriors.

"Thi...this isn't possible!" Said the examiner in shock, focusing all of his attention on what was now happening.

Ramza's once lifeless hand crept slowly across Agrias' back, inching its way up the handle of the sword. His fingers entangled the sword, and slowly, but surely, pulled the blade out of the two of them. Throwing the bloodied weapon to the side, Ramza pushed Agrias' body off of him, then rose to his feet.

"You..." Ramza muttered, eyes aglow with rage. "You...!"

"Finish the job men!" Ordered the examiner. Obeying their command, the first of the two knights readied to strike Ramza down once again. Swinging with all his might, the first knight aimed for Ramza's neck, trying to behead the Heretic. But in the time frame of a split second, Ramza brought his hand up and caught it between his fingers. Unlike Agrias though, no wounds were inflicted, and Ramza, even though not as physically strong, was holding the blade off with ease. The entire area was abuzz with shock.

"Die..." Ramza whispered menacingly, his voice sounding distorted and twisted.

With a flick of his wrist, Ramza broke the top of the sword he held with ease, the tempered steel shattering at the point of pressure without any form of resistance. The knight tried to step back, but didn't make it two steps, as Ramza dashed forward and thrust the broken piece of sword into the throat of the knight. The shard penetrated the knight's skin, then erupted out of the back of his neck. With a gurgled scream, the knight fell to the ground. Ramza eyed up the second knight, a grin full of malice gracing his lips.

"Take this!" Shouted the knight bravely, thrusting at Ramza with great reserve. But with an agile dodge, Ramza evaded the attack, then grabbed the knight by the wrist. Wrenching his arm upside down so that the knight's elbow pointed at the sky, Ramza brought a closed fist down right on the joint. A deafening snap was heard, and the knight screamed in agony, his arm going limp. Taking the sword from the knight's hands, Ramza forced the blade up through the knight's chin. The skin gave way as butter did to a hot knife, and seconds later the knight was dead on the ground.

"What are you waiting for!" Shrieked the examiner as he pointed to the monk. "Kill Ramza Beoulve! Kill him now!"

The pugilist, though frightened by the Heretic's new display of cruelty and bloodlust, adamantly obeyed his commander's orders. Ramza had already attuned his eyes to the monk, and eagerly waited for him to attack. The monk was much lighter on his feet than the knights, and he struck Ramza with furious punches. The sound of his bare knuckles impacting Ramza's body could be heard for miles. The monk tore into Ramza with all he had, but the boy continued to stand.

"Die..."

As the Monk let loose with another furious jab, Ramza ducked under the attack, striking the monk in the chest with his own fist. The pugilist felt his ribcage explode into a million fragments. As the destroyed fighter collapsed, Ramza kicked the new corpse to the side, now looking at his next target.

The archer was already in the process of aiming his best arrow, then seconds later let it fly. The arrow screamed towards Ramza at a rocketing pace. The Archer prayed his aim was true...

The arrow struck, and Ramza went crashing to the ground. The archer began to breathe a sigh of relief, not just because the Heretic was dead, but because he had just saved his own life.

Or so he thought.

Before he could even exhale his sigh, the archer's body went sailing to the ground, an arrow embedded right between his eyes.

Ramza's arm retracted, and the boy was grinning all the while.

"For the love of all that is holy, stop him at once!" Pleaded the examiner to the mage. The mage nodded, and let loose with his full fury.

Ramza was struck head on by a combination of all of the most powerful mage spells known to man. He was sent down once again, most of his clothing seared away from the brutal attack.

"My God...this is...!" Said the stupefied examiner.

Ramza had already gotten to his feet, slashed, burned, maimed, beaten, but still alive. Now he was slowly making his way towards the remaining two, still grinning as evilly as he was before.

"Do something!" Shrieked a terrified examiner as Ramza got nearer and nearer.

"I hit him with everything I had!" Said an equally terrified mage. "Why won't he die!"

The mage didn't even get an answer to his question, as he suddenly burst into bright green flames. It only took a few seconds before the mage was charred beyond recognition. Now all that remained was the examiner.

Naturally, the cowardly church underling tried to make a run for it, but Ramza immediately dashed forward and grabbed him by the throat. The examiner gasped for breath as he felt the Heretic's grasp begin to crush his windpipe.

"The power...of the devil...!" Choked out the suffocating examiner.

"The destruction to end it all. The power to free myself from the shackles of this world that continues to hate me..."

Ramza shook his head rapidly.

"No...no...that can't be right..." Ramza said confusedly. "This isn't right...Alma...someone...please...help me..."

Ramza's grip on the examiner began to loosen, and the examiner thought that he would actually make it out of this slaughter alive.

"May God have mercy on your wretched soul..." Muttered the examiner.

"God?" Questioned Ramza, his cold and cynical grin returning once more. "I want nothing of your God."

Another flick of his wrist, and the examiner crumpled at the boy's feet, his neck broken in two places. Ramza surveyed the carnage he had just unleashed, then let out a hearty laugh.

"This feeling...this bloodlust..." Ramza whispered. "It's so...glorious."

Seeing something move out of the corner of his eye, Ramza made his way over to what looked to be the only person besides himself left alive in the area.

"R...Ramza..."

"I'm here...Agrias." Ramza said softly, placing his hand on Agrias' cheek.

Turning her head to the side, Agrias saw the mutilated bodies of the people she seconds later was about to be killed by.

"Ramza..." Agrias muttered. "How did-urk!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ramza clamped his hands around Agrias' throat and began to strangle her.

"Die..." Ramza mumbled sadistically.

"Ra...!" Agrias gagged, trying to fight Ramza off. She kicked her feet around wildly, trying to find some way to break Ramza's death lock. She hit Ramza's arms with her own as hard as she could, but he refused to let go. With her already heavy injuries, Agrias was hanging on by a thread, but now Ramza was trying to sever that last bit of life she held on to.

"Give...him...back..." Agrias said, trying to fight off the darkness that was rapidly encroaching her. Her normally stoic eyes turned soft, and began to well with tears. "Return Ramza Beoulve...to me..."

"Agrias..."

His choke hold finally released, Agrias coughed and sputtered madly. She could feel her body beginning to hemorrhage. Trying to stay awake as best she could, Agrias saw Ramza still kneeling beside her, his eyes locked on his hands.

"My hands..." Ramza muttered, looking at the multitude of blood on them.

Tears stung at the corners of Ramza's eyes, and he quickly cupped his face in his hands. His entire body was shaking profusely.

"The Reverse Trinity...a mark of my inevitable destruction...this is what he meant..." Ramza winced, motioning to the mark that was burned into the skin on his back. The horrendous wound was now teeming with a bright red hue, matching that of the blood that was on Ramza's hands.

"Alma...help me..."

Ramza felt Agrias' arm come around his own, and slowly, she guided her hands to his face and lowered it onto her breastplate. Ramza's shaking inevitably slowed and then stopped, and his rage began to subside.

"The beating of my heart..." Agrias began.

"I can hear it..." Ramza answered.

"And I yours..."

The two remained in the blood soaked field, one on the brink of death, the other on the brink of destruction. Two souls with hellish pasts that never went away...

Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks shared much more than just their sense of justice...


	7. Stained

Chapter 6: Stained

_The Lucavi..._

_A force so evil, so despondent, yet so intelligent. A force of the netherworld that preys upon the weaknesses of humankind, using our faults as stepping stones for their twisted schemes. So secretive they were, going about their business with no mind paid to them whatsoever. Hidden behind the shadows, shielded from the fires of war, simply biding their time, waiting for that one ripe moment to strike..._

_We as a species never stood a chance. We were much too caught up in our own squabbles to begin to fight back. As our war of the kingdoms raged, the unknown war of the worlds slowly began to devour our people whole. We were fated to inevitable destruction at the hands of the Lucavi._

_But then, he appeared, our hero._

_Never grandiose in title as those of the time, he sought justice and nothing else. The visions of a savior, brought forth in the physical form of one man. The true hero of the Lion War, naturally unsung, but forever revered. He is the bearer of our way of life, the epitome of all that is pure._

_However..._

_No one is without their other self. We all bear a side that we never even know about, it goes unknown throughout most of our lives, until one key incident brings it into its own. As it is a part of our very being, it shall not be denied its turn, its given right, to be allowed the opportunity to exist._

_As I have found, my other self is one of frailty. A side I never wished to have, but had anyway. I'll not deny it, it frightens me to know I can be the strongest soldier, but at the same time, the most pathetic of human beings ever created. I will stand up to anything, but also cower in fear at the consequences of my actions. I'll fight to the last drop of my blood, but I am also afraid of what lies beyond the realm of mortality._

_These two feelings of strength and weakness are a part of who I am, they are what makes me, me._

_Will I ever show this other side to anyone else? Is there any reason to do so? What point would there be in revealing my own weaknesses?_

_Some say that heroes are not very far apart from madmen._

_The malleable views of a hero are easily mistaken for tyranny, and though their actions be just, they are still feared._

_To be used, tortured, and then thrown away by history and its followers can take its toll. To know that one's efforts were in vain is crushing to even the strongest of heroes. When a savior and his efforts are detested by all those around him, even they can become filled with another self. One borne not from justice or compassion, but from hatred._

_The demons within all of us lie dormant, waiting for the perfect time to awaken. They could arise at any time, only when we are brought to the end of our will can such a restrained side of hellish intention be released._

_If this demon is let loose, it will mean the beginning of a new war, brought about by the savior of the old._

_I will not let it happen. No, it will never happen, not so long as I continue to draw breath. There is too much at risk here, the hero, my hero, will not become what I have long despised._

_If there is no one left to quell the fires of his rage, it shall be me who does it._

_I will not lose him to the darkness, I have sworn this upon my very life._

_I must lift my battered body from the ground. I cannot perish like this, I refuse to._

_For my people, for my country, for myself, and for him._

_I will not die!_

Agrias felt a drop of water fall onto her cheek. The liquid slowly slid down her face, causing her eyes to shoot open. Still feeling a tremendous ache in her side, Agrias looked down with reluctance to see what had happened.

"What...?"

Her wound, it had been cleaned and bandaged. Sitting up, Agrias inspected it carefully, seeing that the wrapping job was quite inferior, with the bandages falling loose in certain places. Even with the mediocre craftsmanship, Agrias' wound had finally stopped bleeding. Upon looking at herself further, Agrias saw she had been stripped of all her armor, leaving her in nothing more than the leather gear she wore under the plate mail.

Another drop of water fell onto her hair, which too had been washed clean of the blood stains. It was untied and now hung freely about her shoulders. Agrias looked up and saw that the building she was in had no rooftop, open sky met her upward gaze. Clutching her side carefully, Agrias pulled herself to her feet. She scanned the area around her, and noticed that the room she was in was burnt heavily. The wooden structure still singed in places, almost as if the fire that consumed it was recent...

"Ramza!" Agrias shouted.

Limping her way around, Agrias went through each room in the domicile, hoping to find a trace of Ramza. However, she was met only with abysmal emptiness, Ramza was nowhere to be found. Thinking of him made Agrias remember the last time she saw him, before everything went dark. He was soaked in blood, his own and that of his enemies. As he collapsed onto her chest, Agrias could feel Ramza fighting back a sadistic laugh, trying to mask it under his meek sobs of despair.

"Where is he...?" Agrias asked herself, trying to force any dismal scenarios out of her head.

After finally exiting the remains of the building, Agrias had to sit down, her body was screaming at her to continue resting. Agrias dropped into a sitting position, wincing and grimacing all the while from the pain of the stab wound.

"I can hear your heartbeat..." Agrias pantomimed herself. She placed a free hand on her chest and felt her heart steadily beating. While not as strong or rigorous as normal, it was still pumping. But this confused Agrias quite heavily.

Agrias remembered feeling the sword being pulled out of her body, which in turn caused her heart to slow down to almost a standstill. Already without any sense of vision or sound, Agrias could only sense the kind of bloodshed that was going on around her. A sort of a sixth sense she picked up during her time as a knight, it allowed Agrias to know what was going on in battle without actually being a part of it. But this was no ordinary fight, it was a massacre.

As the feeling of the slaughter finally faded, Agrias remembered hearing Ramza's voice.

_"I'm here...Agrias..."_

She thought everything was going to be alright, until the ruthless hands that brought about the brutal killing clamped around her throat, choking off her last gasps. It was then Agrias finally felt herself beginning to slip away. She could almost feel the cold touch of death upon her, and responded in the only way she could think of.

_"Bring...him...back...return...Ramza..to...me..."_

A bloodcurdling scream ripped Agrias right out of her brooding. She sat up with a start, eyes scanning the horizon for the direction the scream came from. When she determined what she thought was the source, Agrias started into a half-run, half-hobble. Another scream rang out, and Agrias was now sure that this was the right way. She was led into a small thicket of trees. Upon entering the brush, Agrias heard something scuttling about. She slowed to a silent creeping pace, not wanting to be discovered. The sounds got closer and closer as she inched forward.

Peeking quietly from behind a tree trunk, Agrias saw what was making the sounds. Her mouth dropped in shock.

"The blood...it won't come off...!"

"Oh my god..." Agrias whispered to herself.

It was Ramza, huddled near a small puddle of rain water, washing his hands and face furiously in the clear liquid. Time and again he dipped his hands into the water and ran them across his arms and face. He was stricken with panic and despair.

"No, no, no!" Ramza repeated like a broken record. "Get it off!"

"Ramza." Agrias finally made her presence known, stepping from the tree trunk's cover. Ramza's head snapped into attention, looking with a grimace at her.

"Get away from me!" Ramza demanded, curling into a ball.

"What is the matter Ramza?" Agrias inquired.

"Just go!" Ramza shouted again.

Agrias took a step towards Ramza, and the young man uncurled from his protective position and backed away.

"Ramza...?"

"I don't..." Ramza choked out desperately. "I don't want you to see me like this..."

"You're ashamed because there are bloodstains on your hands?"

Ramza nodded.

"We've been through countless struggles, and many times before we have stricken down human beings, their blood splattering onto us. What makes this any different?" Agrias poised.

"It's not like before..." Ramza said. "They were defenseless, but yet...I slaughtered them anyway...it was no different than the Lucavi..."

"Don't you ever say that!" Agrias shouted angrily. "You are nothing like them!"

"I felt no sense of mercy whatsoever..." Ramza muttered. "I actually...enjoyed it..."

Agrias gasped.

"Unbelievable..." Agrias said in disbelief.

"Please Agrias..." Pleaded Ramza. "Just leave me be...I'm slowly becoming the one thing I've feared the most..."

Ramza got to his feet and raised his blood-stained hands to his face.

"I've taken lives before, yes, but never as heartlessly as I did just now. I couldn't control myself...it was almost as if my body were acting out my heart's orders..."

"Your heart's orders?" Questioned Agrias.

"Rage..." Whispered Ramza. "The darkness within the hearts of men, one that cannot ever be defeated. I'm no different than any other person...I'm no hero...heroes have a sense of chivalry and grace, even when it comes to defeated opponents. I showed that I'm nothing like that, and my hands are now drenched with an everlasting reminder of how pathetic I really am..."

"Preposterous..." Agrias spat.

"I know..." Ramza nodded in agreement. "I don't know why I'm so weak...I just..."

"That's now what I meant." Agrias interrupted. "Where is the Ramza Beoulve I know? He would never be reduced to such a self-loathing knave like the person I see before me."

"He never existed..."

"I don't believe a word of that." Agrias said.

Before he could object any further, Agrias walked over to Ramza and clapped her hands on both of his shoulders, looking at him face-to-face.

"You're stronger than this, and you know that, just like I do." Agrias told Ramza.

"I'm not..." Denied Ramza.

"I'll not hear any more of this nonsense. Ramza Beoulve, you are the hero of Ivalice, whether you believe you are or not. As our hero, you must remain vigilant. You're not the kind of weakling who would so easily give into desperation, are you?"

"...I..."

"We share many battle scars, you and I." Agrias began again.

"Agrias...?"

"Now we both have one in the same area, from a single sword that almost took both our lives. I've no regrets of my decision to try and shield you, just as you should not regret doing what needed to preserve your life, and mine. Let these stab wounds be your reminder of who you are, and not of what you may become. You are Ramza Beoulve, savior of Ivalice, one who threw away everything he had for the sake of justice."

"But I..."

"If your hands are stained with blood, then so be it. I too know those same lingering feelings of remorse. But I have never given in to them, what kind of comrade would I be if I did? I would be of no use to you. By that same token, I require that you be strong as well. I cannot do this alone Ramza. I...need you."

Ramza looked into Agrias' eyes once more. He could tell her words were very true and heartfelt. Agrias really did need Ramza. Ramza's feelings of despair slowly began to fade away, replaced with a sense of calm and serenity.

"Okay..." Ramza mumbled to himself.

That was all Agrias needed to hear. She let go of Ramza's shoulders and gave an approving nod.

"Much better." Agrias complimented. "Already you're starting to look more like the Ramza I know."

Agrias made her way over to a nearby log and took a seat, holding her side.

"Sorry, I'm not really good at bandaging wounds..." Ramza admitted.

"Heh, don't worry about it." Agrias snickered. "After all, I am sure it was Alma who always took care of injuries, am I right?"

"Yeah..."

"I knew it. I swear, where would you be without a woman around Ramza?" Said Agrias with a chuckle.

Ramza felt a light snicker escape his lips. He then walked over to where Agrias was positioned and carefully sat down himself, trying not to aggravate the wounds in his lower side. Unlike Agrias', however, Ramza's stab wound was not nearly as serious, so it had already clotted up and the bleeding had stopped.

"Hmm?" Agrias looked over and saw that Ramza's wounds were not bandaged at all. In fact, the only thing that remained of Ramza's attire were his trousers, which were tattered and only covered him down to his knees, and a few strands of his shirt that hung loosely on his torso. Ramza saw Agrias staring at him.

"There were only enough bandages left for one person..."

"Typical..." Agrias mused. "But we should get that treated right away, before it becomes infected."

"I'll be fine." Said Ramza.

"When I said I needed you to be strong, I also meant I needed you to be alive. Going on with such a seriously untreated wound would not bode well for either of us." Agrias poised.

"I guess not..." Ramza said sheepishly.

"Then come." Agrias said as she got to her feet. "If we start now, we can make it back to the barracks by nightfall."

Ramza nodded and also got to his feet.

"Where are the stones?" Agrias asked.

"Uh...well..."

"You didn't...lose them did you?" Agrias said nervously.

"Wark!"

The familiar cry of a chocobo was heard, and seconds later the two were joined by the same yellow bird that had brought them to this place.

"Whew..." Ramza sighed with relief as he saw the wool pouch still tied on the saddle of the chocobo. "There they are."

"You left them with the chocobo?" Agrias asked.

"I had to go back and help you." Ramza said boldly. "Did you really think I was just going to abandon you?"

"I suppose not." Agrias agreed. "I really do know you all too well. Somehow I had a feeling you wouldn't escape, even if it was foolish and suicidal to come back."

"It's just how I am." Ramza said.

"Had it been anyone else, I surely would be fodder for the worms by now." Agrias said with a grin. Clearly she meant it as a joke, but Ramza did not perceive it that way. Instead, his face lit up with shock.

"I'll never let that happen!" He blurted out.

Agrias raised a brow in confusion over Ramza's sudden outburst.

"I was only kidding you realize..." Agrias said slyly.

Ramza's face changed from shocked to embarrassed in the blink of an eye.

"Oh!...I mean...!" He stuttered, trying to form a complete sentence.

"Ha ha ha, this is priceless." Agrias said with a guffaw, trying not to laugh so hard that it hurt her side. Ramza shook his head and turned away, mumbling incoherently to himself.

"I'm flattered Ramza, but I'm not like your sister Alma, I don't need a knight in shining armor to protect me." Agrias said.

"Um...yeah..." Mumbled Ramza.

"But, I do need a friend who will stand alongside me."

Ramza turned around to face Agrias again, his face finally turning back to its normal color.

"I wonder how the chocobo found us?" Ramza changed the subject.

"It just comes naturally with a chocobo and its master." Said Agrias. "A sort of unspoken bond, if you will."

Pulling herself into the saddle, Agrias offered her hand out to Ramza.

"It'd be best if I steer this time." Agrias said. "I will block most of the wind, we can't have you catching your death of cold, we've still much to do."

"You're right." Ramza said as he took hold of Agrias' hand and was helped into the saddle.

"Right then," Said Agrias. "Let us return to the barracks!"

With a swift kick to the sternum, the chocobo started into a dash, and the two were off once more...


	8. Measure of a Man

Chapter 7: Measure of a Man

The footfalls of the chocobo thundered across the vast grassy plains, Ramza and Agrias still atop the noble feathered steed. The Atkascha Barracks could be seen on the horizon.

"Almost back." Ramza pointed out to his companion. All he got was silence in reply.

"Agrias?"

Again, Ramza got no form of a response.

"Is something bothering you, Agrias?"

"..." Silence once more.

"...Listen Agrias, I know you're probably angry about what has happened, I would be too if I were in your position. But...I just...don't think I can do this by myself anymore."

Ramza's eyes grew somber, and his brow creased dejectedly.

"I thought I could do this alone, but it's not something I'm capable of. I guess I need someone with me to confide in, a friend I can rely on. The bond I felt with all of you is what kept me going during the Lion War. That probably sounds pretty pathetic."

More morbid silence from Ramza's comrade.

"I'm not really as strong as you think I am. You say I'm the hero of the Lion War, but really, that title can't be focused on just one person. Had you all not been there, I would've been crushed a long time ago, and the Lucavi would've already destroyed everything. I'm eternally grateful for what you have done, I say this not only as a human being that was on the verge of annihilation by the devil's army, but as a man."

The barracks were now only a few miles away.

"...I know this sounds incredibly selfish, but...I need you Agrias, I'm lost without someone beside me. Please, stay with me, this is my only request, and I will never ask for another favor ever again. Once I save Alma, I can vanish into solitude again, so you can get on with your own life and forget about all I have put you through."

"Ra...m...za..."

"Agrias...?"

Agrias turned her head back over her shoulder and looked at Ramza. Her face was incredibly pale, and her eyes were starting to glaze over.

"Agrias!"

Agrias then began to fall from the saddle of the chocobo. Ramza instinctively tightened his grip around her waist and kept her atop the mount.

"What's wrong!" Ramza shouted at Agrias. Withdrawing one of his hands from Agrias' midsection, Ramza felt a thick ooze coursing between his fingers. It terrified him to look, but he did so anyway.

"Oh god...no..."

It was blood. The wound in Agrias' sternum had been reopened, and now even more of her life was spilling out, staining Ramza's hands, the saddle, the chocobo, everything. But it wasn't just the blood that scared Ramza. Mixed in with Agrias' blood were hints of a pitch black substance. The substance was all too familiar to Ramza, it was the very same that coursed through the scar of the Reverse Trinity that had been carved into his back. Seeing this told Ramza all he needed to know about Agrias' condition. She too had been infected by the tainted power that Ramza had.

"The sword...!" Ramza grimly muttered to himself. He thought back to the second the blade of the knight had pierced into his abdomen. Upon that very strike, he could feel not only his own pain, but that of Agrias, who had tried to shield him. As the merciless steel tore into the both of them, the two's blood flowed freely as one, converging into a horrific mixture of anger, compassion, and despair. Now Agrias too shared the same fate as Ramza. She now bore the tainted power of darkness in her otherwise pure soul. Unlike Ramza however, Agrias seemed to be succumbing to the vile substance very rapidly. She had long since lost her grip on the reigns of the chocobo, and her arms hung freely at her sides.

Reaching down carefully so as to not lose his hold on Agrias, Ramza grabbed the reigns and and bucked the chocobo, urging it to run ever faster. It complied, and its talons dug into the earth below them with greater force than before with each stride, propelling the three even quicker. It wasn't long before the bird stopped at the main door of the barracks. What greeted them, however, was not a welcome party.

"You there!" Bellowed an Atkascha Knight. "Unhand Lady Agrias!"

"She's sick, please help her!" Ramza shouted, offering Agrias' near lifeless body to a slew of waiting knights. The group surrounded Agrias and gently carried her off inside. Ramza dismounted the chocobo and prepared to follow.

"Stay where you are." One knight threatened, drawing his sword and pointing it at Ramza.

"What are you doing? I'm a friend!" Ramza exclaimed.

"Silence!" The knight shot back. "You miserable knave, you will pay for your crimes!"

"I've done nothing wrong!" Denied Ramza. "Let me see Agrias!"

Ramza started to walk forward, but was stopped by an entire line of knights, all with weapons at the ready.

"I'll not say it again, cease and desist, or I will cut your miserable carcass down where you stand!"

"That's enough!" A new voice interjected. The knights scattered to the side and knelt respectively.

"Lady Rosealynn." Ramza said with a kneel of his own.

"Ramza Beoulve." Rosealynn began. "It pains me to see you, the great hero of our people, reduced to such a petty criminal."

"But Lady Rosealynn...!"

"I'll not hear a word of this, Ramza." Rosealynn cut him off. "What you have done to Agrias cannot be forgiven."

"I've done nothing to Agrias! Please believe me!" Ramza pleaded. "She followed me of her own free will!"

"She followed you?" Rosealynn questioned. "For what reason?"

"I...can't tell you that..." Ramza mumbled, shooting a nervous look at the pouch that still hung on the saddle of the chocobo.

"Then you leave me with no reason to believe your denials."

"Let me see Agrias! She'll tell you!" Ramza bellowed.

"Agrias has lost all consciousness, you shall not see her, you've no right to do so after the way you used her."

"It wasn't me! We were ambushed by followers of the Church! Both Agrias and I were wounded!"

"I see no such form of injury upon your body, Ramza." Rosealynn pointed out.

"Huh...?"

Ramza looked down at his stomach, and his heart nearly stopped.

"Im...impossible...!"

The wound that had but hours earlier shown forth with all its gruesome detail had completely vanished. Aside from tattered clothing and spots of dried mud over certain parts of his body, there was not a scratch to be found on Ramza's frame.

"This...this is...!" Ramza stuttered incoherently.

"Take him." Rosealynn said with a wave of her hand. All of the knights began to converge on Ramza.

_You will never see Alma again..._

"Stop it..." Ramza said through gritted teeth.

_Kill them, kill them all, only with all of your pursuers eliminated will you be able to find her..._

"I won't...!"

"What are you talking about?" Rosealynn poised, cocking her head curiously at Ramza.

_The Reverse Trinity is the symbol of your corruption, but at the same time, your own limitless power. You need not these feelings of camaraderie or trust, you only need rely on one person, and that is yourself. Draw upon this rage, this anger, this hatred, let the temptations of your own weakness be your weapon..._

"No!" Ramza screamed, clutching his head in his hands. He collapsed onto the ground and began to writhe.

"A fitting position for you, knave." The lead knight said in disgust, sheathing his sword. He reached down to pull Ramza to his feet by the scruff of his neck.

_Brother...help me...!_

"Wha...!" The exclamation of the lead knight was cut short as Ramza shot to his feet in a split second and grabbed the knight by the throat.

"I won't let you...take Alma from me...!" Said Ramza, his voice once again sounding distorted. "I'll kill...all of you...!"

"Sir!" One of the lead knight's underlings shouted. The group began to advance on Ramza.

"Stay where you are." Rosealynn commanded sternly. The knights obeyed, and disengaged accordingly.

"Is this truly the man who saved us from the Devil's Army?" Roselaynn asked, to which Ramza looked over. The knight being held under Ramza's grip escaped when the boy's attention was diverted away. He returned to his ranks.

"Kill the knave!" The lead knight shouted between gasps for breath.

"Leave him be." Rosealynn ordered again.

"But milady...!"

Rosealynn looked into Ramza's eyes. He returned the glance with one of his own. It appeared as though the two were trying to read each other's souls. Rosealynn could feel the immense hatred seething deep within the young man that stood before her. This led her to believe he was guilty of his crimes. But as she continued to examine Ramza, she could also sense a feeling of sadness and panic. In the current physical and mental state he was in, Rosealynn easily compared Ramza to that of a cornered animal. He would not attack unless provoked, otherwise he simply stood in unnerving silence, just contemplating what was going on around him.

Rosealynn then paced to behind Ramza, and saw the hideous mark on his back. The sign was glowing a faint crimson, illuminating just what kind of power he had within him.

"So this is what Agrias meant..." Rosealynn thought to herself as she remember the words from Agrias' mouth the night before...

_"I do not know what exactly the mark means, but it's not something Ramza brought about." _

_"What are you saying, Agrias?"_

_"This is only a theory, but he is still a Heretic, according to the church. Perhaps the wrath of God was finally brought upon him."_

_"That's absurd Agrias! Why would God punish him? He saved us all!" _

_"Maybe it is because he broke the chains of fate, milady. Maybe it was our time to finally disappear, but yet, he stopped all of that. We've committed so many sins as a whole, I don't think any amount of prayer can redeem us. He seems to believe otherwise."_

_"As well he should, the Lucavi were nothing but servants of the underworld, a world that seeks to rid all of mankind from this face of this planet. How could you say that God actually willed the Lion War to happen?"_

_"I've seen true evil, milady, even before the Lucavi. The evils in the hearts of men is comparable to even that of the devil. Our constant mistakes as a species has caused us to fall from God's grace, and now we exist on our own, without any sort of guidance. We pledge ourselves to His name, but we see no sort of divine intervention from His part. We continue to spiral down the endless road of war, bringing about chaos. The Lucavi took advantage of us and almost destroyed us. Did you ever see any act of God during that time?"_

_"...You make a valid, albeit grandiose, point, Agrias."_

_"I'm merely speaking my opinion. Ramza is the only one who is capable of saving our way of life, and this seems to have upset the denizens of the world of the damned. I believe that mark upon his back is a curse." _

_"A curse you say?"_

_"I do, Lady Rosealynn. It is a curse that was cast by the damned, but further strengthened by the errors of mankind. The church has convinced almost the entire land of Ivalice that Ramza Beoulve is a Heretic, a monster who seeks to undermine the ways of God, when in actuality, it is the complete opposite. But the public masses have already been swayed, and they continue to detest and loathe him, vowing never to renounce their hatred until he is dead."_

_"That does sound quite true..."_

_"Ramza is our savior, but he is still only human. He can only take so much angst before even he begins to break. Should he fall, we as a people have no chance of atonement. Ramza is the living incarnation of the hopes of our people, his noble intentions showcase what even the most decadent of men want deep down. But he is slowly being crushed by a world that he, to this day, continues to fight for. Why must he be subject to such blind persecution, I ask you."_

_"Mankind as a whole is too immature to accept the ideals of one, even if they are justified for the greater good, that is a sad fact of life, Agrias."_

_"Forgive me for being so brazen milady, but I refuse to just stand idly by while our savior slowly wastes away at the vicissitudes of the people he gave up everything for. Ramza deserves much more than this." _

_"Your defense of his honor is most inspiring Agrias, rarely ever have I heard you speak in such an intense tone of voice."_

_"Just as I have seen true evil, I have also seen true valor. Never before have I seen such gallantry, and perhaps never again." _

_"...Ramza Beoulve, he means alot to you, doesn't he Agrias?"_

_"...He holds a very large place in my heart, that's all I can say."_

_"Do whatever you think is right, Agrias. After all, you are no longer under the jurisdiction of the knighthood, I'll not impose on your decisions."_

_"I thank you, Lady Rosealynn."_

"Ramza." Rosealynn finally called out. Ramza turned around to look at her once more.

"You have no way of proving your innocence, but at the same time, I have no solid way of proving your guilt, only assumptions. However, far be it from me to make a decision based solely on assumptions, lest I become the same as the Church of Glabados."

Ramza's intense breathing began to calm as he heard the words of Rosealynn. The knights watched on in curious awe.

"However, please understand, that there will be rumors going around of what has become of Agrias. I think it is necessary to confine you for the time being to quell such rumors. You will not be mistreated, you are still a guest, but some of your rights will be rescinded. I do this as the ruler of this Atkascha Barracks, who is only looking out for the well being of my people. Do you accept these conditions?"

Ramza remained silent for a few moments, taking in all he had just heard. Ramza was not one to give his trust to just anybody, but he could feel the sincerity in Rosealynn's words.

"I do." He answered simply.

"Very good." Rosealynn nodded. She signaled to her knights.

"You three, take Ramza to the holding cells. Let me make it clear that he is not to be mistreated in any way. Should I find any such actions, the guilty party will suffer severe consequences."

"Yes milady..." The lead knight muttered as he and two other knights came to Ramza's side.

"You are also to bring him a change of clothes, warm food, and fresh water. My orders have been given, dismissed!"

The remaining knights scattered, going about their business, while Ramza was led inside the barracks by the three knights.

"I know my decision is right." Rosealynn thought approvingly to herself as she too returned to her quarters.

"Here you are..." The lead knight said as he opened the door to the jail cell. Ramza stepped in and took a seat on the bed in the corner. The door shut and locked behind him.

"How is Agrias?" Ramza asked.

"Still no sign of consciousness." Said the second knight. "I'm afraid there's not much we can do for her. Her condition isn't that of any normal sickness."

"I know..." Ramza said with a sigh. "Is there any way I can see her?"

"Not a chance." Barked the lead knight. "You don't deserve the honor of being anywhere near her."

"Sir, Lady Rosealynn said..."

"Hmph." Scoffed the lead knight. "Why is it milady has taken such mercy on you?"

Ramza merely shook his head. The lead knight walked off, grumbling to himself.

"We'll bring you food, water, and clothing, as milady ordered." Said the third knight. The other two then left the room. Ramza stretched out on his bed and looked up at the stone ceiling, becoming lost in thought.

_Poor, poor boy, even those you once fought alongside have turned against you. _The sinister voice from before said with a cackle.

_All you've done, meaningless._

"Begone..." Ramza said angrily.

_I shall never vanish, not as long as you have even the smallest amount of hatred within your heart. I'll never go away until you share the same fate as I._

"What I did was right, you just cannot let it rest, you continue to linger in this world, hell bent on destroying me."

_As I said, I'll do nothing of the sort, I am only here as an overseer to make sure it happens. The true destruction will be brought about by you._

"Who are you...really? A servant of the Lucavi?"

_I've ascended past such trite fiends as those demons. I do not yearn for salvation nor repent, I exist now only to make you suffer as I have suffered._

"You hate me that much?"

_How could I not? You took everything from me. You killed my only blood relative, usurped my ideals, and left me behind to be forgotten in the annals of history. I was to be remembered as the one who finally ended the reign of the wretched people blessed with more fortunate lives, the ones who suppressed those weaker than they. But I was thrown to the wayside for your ideals, your way, while I vanished into thin air. So now, I will make you suffer._

"Don't you think I've suffered enough? I can't even show my face in public, the entire world hates me."

_That is not nearly enough. It will never end until you've felt the anguish I have felt. Persecution, hatred, even death itself will not be enough to sate my desire to see you writhe in the most horrible agony. You'll know, soon enough._

"Perhaps I will..."

_You surprise me, boy._

"And why is that?"

_Any other man would've already cracked under such pressure, and either gone insane, or committed suicide. Yet here you stand, still boldly resisting my every effort._

"I've seen the most brutal of wars, witnessed the most grotesque abominations of the time, and still here I stand. I am above madness, I won't become like that, ever."

_That arrogant attitude of yours is why I despise your kind. You think you're so much better than others._

"I'm no better, or no worse, than even the most common person. I stand as an equal, while others who place themselves higher or lower, eventually are purged."

_No matter which you are, even if you escape madness, you cannot escape death._

"I gave up my fear of death a long time ago. When my time comes, then I will not run or hide. However, I will not just give myself to death, that is the fool's way out. I've come much too far to just forfeit my life. I swear by every inch of my being, I will find you, I will take Alma back, and I will make you pay for what you have done."

_You make it sound like I'm some sort of thief who stole everything you held dear. That title belongs to you. All I have done is showed you how pathetic you are without your beloved sibling. It reminds me so very much of myself shortly after you took her away from me."_

"This has gone beyond myself and Alma. You've involved one of my friends. She had nothing to do with my affairs. Only out of sheer compassion did she help me. You used that against her, and now she lay on what may very well be her deathbed. For that, you will pay."

_You speak quite intensely of this woman, this Agrias Oaks._

"She means more to me than you could even remotely begin to understand. What you have done is unforgivable, and by God almighty you will not get away with it."

_God? I want nothing of your God. Those were your words, were they not?_

"They were..."

_Ha ha ha, do you really think God is going to help you, when you have said such heretical words?_

"...If I have been forsaken, then that too is fine. I have never relied on His power, only that of the people I know and love. I'll go without His blessings if need be."

_We shall see if such claims will hold muster when the time comes. Farewell for now._

"Goodbye..."

Ramza flipped over onto his side and faced the wall. He closed his eyes and tried to catch up on some much needed rest.


	9. The Blood that Binds

Chapter 8: The Blood that Binds

The sound of the jail door creaking open wrought the sleeping Ramza from his strained slumber. Rolling onto his back and then sitting up, Ramza's eyes focused on his visitors.

"Lavian, Alicia, it's you." Ramza said sleepily.

"It is, Ramza." Lavian said with a polite bow. Alicia looked on in curious silence.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"Lord Ramza, we've heard terrible things about you." Lavian said.

"About Agrias?" Asked Ramza, to which they both nodded.

"Is it true?" Inquired Alicia with a great fervor.

"Would it matter if I told you the truth?" Ramza poised. "You weren't there, so you can only speculate what happened. Lady Rosealynn had the same notion, which is why I was put into custody."

"...You're not that kind of person." Alicia said boldly. "We've known you too long, we know who you are, and we know this isn't something you would do. You'd never turn against any of us."

"You are right." Ramza said. "But doubt and uncertainty rule the situation."

Lavian and Alicia looked at each other with concern, then turned back to Ramza.

"We've brought you a fresh change of clothes," Announced Lavian, withdrawing a bundle of assorted pieces of attire from behind her, then setting them on the ground near Ramza's feet.

"I thank you." Said Ramza gratefully. He knelt down and picked up the clothes and examined them, finding them to be just his size.

"Um..." Ramza mumbled bashfully.

"Oh!" Lavian exclaimed, swinging around and turning her back to Ramza. "Alicia! Don't be rude! Give Ramza some privacy!"

Alicia's face turned sour, but she ultimately obeyed, also turning away from Ramza. Ramza then began removing what was left of his old clothing, dropping the tattered remains to the ground. He then slipped into the cloth tunic and breeches, and soon he was decent again.

"Much better." Ramza nodded in approval at his new duds. Lavian and Alicia turned around once more, their faces a tad pink around their cheeks.

"What?" Ramza said, tilting his head in innocent confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing, Ramza..." Lavian said playfully, trying to hold back a girlish laughter. Alicia too then joined in with her own muffled chuckles.

Ramza shrugged his shoulders, then took a seat once more on the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, which was still matted with dirt and hints of blood.

"So...how is Agrias?" Ramza said, shattering the carefree atmosphere instantly and replacing it with one of melancholy.

"Still no sign of improvement, I'm afraid..." Said Lavian bitterly.

Ramza's head bowed.

"I can't believe this is happening..." Ramza said in disgust.

"Ramza, what is wrong with Agrias?" Alicia piped in. "This isn't like any sort of disease we've ever seen before. No medicine we have tried has had any affect on her condition. She has a high fever, her breathing is low and forced, and she convulses almost every hour."

"I do not know for sure..." Ramza said dejectedly. "All I do know is that it has something to do...with me."

"What do you mean?" Lavian asked.

"Agrias now shares my fate...I've doomed her to the same miserable destruction that will soon engulf me..."

"You're making no sense, Ramza!" Alicia shouted. "What do you mean by Agrias sharing the same fate as you?"

"It's difficult to explain, but I will try my best..."

Ramza then explained in his own words the true meaning of the Reverse Trinity on his back, Alma's meaning to him, and what would happen if she was not found.

"That's..." Alicia couldn't finish her sentence due to the shock.

"It sounds overly ridiculous, I know." Ramza said. "But the words I speak are the truth. It's up to you if you want to believe me or not."

The two Holy Knights looked at each other once more, then back to Ramza. Their faces turned stern and serious.

"What you say does sound ludicrous..." Alicia started.

"...and we should have no other choice but to think your words are all lies." Lavian finished.

"I'm sorry that my plight has fallen upon deaf ears and blind eyes." Ramza said lowly. "If this is where I am to die, locked away for the remainder of my life in a prison, then I will not resist. But I only ask one thing in return for my efforts during the Lion War. If you and your people truly look to me as a hero, then you'll honor my request of finding Alma. She was dragged into this because of me, she doesn't deserve the same pathetic fate as the one who defied the Devil's Army. Please, do whatever you can to save her..."

"I'm afraid we cannot do that, Ramza, that is out of our jurisdiction." Lavian said coldly.

"...I see..." Ramza replied with a heavy sigh.

"The only one who can save Alma now is the one who is bound to her by blood, her other side." Stated Alicia.

"...What are you saying?" Ramza asked.

"You and your sister are twins, you are one in the same. Only you, Ramza Beoulve, the one who broke the chains of fate, can free Alma."

Lavian and Alicia stepped to the side and motioned towards the open door. Ramza looked up at the two, startled beyond belief.

"Are you...letting me go...?"

"We are." Alicia answered. "We could never repay you for what you have done for us, this is our only way of even remotely trying to. Go to Alma, save her, and yourself as well."

Ramza stood up and cautiously made his way to the door. He looked back once and saw the truth in the eyes of the two Holy Knights. This was no farce, they were really letting Ramza go free. Ramza peered down the empty hallways around the jail cells. Shaking his head, he began into a quiet stride.

"Ramza, the exit is the other way!" Alicia called out.

"I know." Ramza said as he disappeared from view.

"But Ramz...!"

"No Alicia." Lavian spoke up, halting her partner's advance. "Ramza knows what he is doing, it is up to us to see that nothing stops him from it."

It took Alicia a few moments to realize what Lavian meant, but she eventually got the message, and the two started after Ramza. They stayed an ample distance behind him, keeping a cautious eye out for their fellow knights.

"We could get discharged for this..." Alicia muttered grimly.

"We, as knights of God, have our sworn duty, but we also have morals as human beings." Said Lavian. "We do what we feel is right, that is what separates us from the more ignoble grunts below us."

"You are right, but is this really the best way to go about it?" Poised Alicia.

"It's the only way." Lavian told her.

The two then caught up with Ramza, he was pressed against the wall as flat as he could be, hidden within the faint shadows. The two Holy Knights saw the door leading to his destination, blocked by a guard. Nodding to each other, Lavian and Alicia approached the knight.

"You there." Alicia said. "Your shift is ending early, we shall take over from here."

"But Lady Rosealynn said..." The common knight tried to object, but was silenced with a wave of Alicia's hand.

"You may take your complaint up with milady, and we will gracefully accept any consequences of our actions, but for the time being, you are dismissed, this is an order from your superior officer." Ordered Lavian.

"At once." The knight saluted, then left the area. Scanning the adjacent hallways, the two signaled Ramza, holding the door open for him.

Ramza stepped inside and prepared for another chapter in his life's saga to unfold before his very eyes...

The room was very dim, as all of the candles were extinguished, and the windows were shuttered tightly. It was deathly quiet, save the sound of two separate draws of breath.

"Agrias, I'm here..."

Ramza's introduction went unanswered, only more silence came about as the final words of his sentence finished. Making his way to the center of the room, Ramza could see Agrias' damaged armor laying in a pile in the corner. The huge hole in the breastplate brought back the memory of that terrible encounter, the one in which Ramza and Agrias' fate became completely intertwined.

Switching his view from the ruined armor to that of his comrade, Ramza dropped to one knee at the base of Agrias' bed. He bowed his head and clasped his hands together, whispering a silent prayer to himself. He mouthed the words from the holy book as he was taught long ago, but as he continued to mime them, he saw how futile of an effort it really was. Whether he had been forsaken, or if there was no such thing as God, one of Ramza's dearest friends lay before him, the same poisoned blood that flowed within his veins now coursed through hers, robbing her of her life at an unbelievable pace.

Looking once again at Agrias, Ramza saw that her skin had become even more pale, and her lips had turned light blue. She was suffocating under the influence of Ramza's curse, and there was no medicine or incantation that could save her.

Ramza fell to both knees in front of Agrias. His eyes began to fill with tears, and his quiet sobs were muffled only by the covers of Agrias' bed sheet.

"I'm so sorry...Agrias...I...I must leave you now...I have to save Alma...if there's any way you can forgive me..."

Ramza paused for a moment.

"...No..." He muttered. "There is no way I can be forgiven for what I have done to you, and I accept that. Because of me, you may very well die of the same affliction that has been cast upon me..."

Ramza's eyes became filled with anger. His hands bunched up into tight fists.

"If there was another way...another way to save Alma...I would gladly lay here and die right alongside you...but..."

Ramza got to his feet, wiping away his tears.

"If you have any sort of strength left in your body, please, I beg of you, take all of your anger out on me now..."

Ramza made his way to the many weapons hung on Agrias' wall. He withdrew a dagger from its holster and returned to Agrias' side. Placing the dagger in her limp hands, Ramza closed her fingers around the handle of the weapon, then raised the point of the blade to his chest, right where his heart was. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for Agrias to show some sign of life. He continued to hold Agrias' hand in his, simply biding his time until that all too familiar feeling of a dagger piercing his skin once more found itself upon him. But it was never to be.

Ramza's hands began to shake, letting Agrias' fall once more to her bed. The dagger bounced once onto the sheets, then fell to the ground with a light clang.

"You can't even hear me anymore, can you Agrias...?"

Nothing but silence emanated around him following his reply. Seeing the hopelessness of the situation, Ramza walked over to the window and removed the shutter. Gray clouds masking the sun met him as he did so, further reflecting the somber mood that hung about. Ramza opened the window and looked down. The area around him was empty, so it would be the best chance to make an escape undetected. As he put one leg onto the windowsill, he thought of the Holy Stones. For a fleeting moment, he thought about trying to retrieve them, but then simply shook his head.

"I never want to see those damn things again as long as I live..." He said bitterly.

A sound of someone stirring was heard in the room, and Ramza withdrew himself from the window, looking back into the partially illuminated area.

"Agrias...?" Ramza said in disbelief.

It was indeed Agrias, now standing upright before him. She had been stripped down almost completely nude, only her private parts and the area in which she was wounded still remain covered.

"Ra...m...za..." Droned Agrias.

"Agrias, what are you...?"

Ramza stopped mid-sentence when he saw the dagger in Agrias' hands. As his eyes shifted from the dagger back to the face of his comrade, Agrias charged forward, dagger at the ready. It was a clean pierce, Ramza was struck full force in the sternum, the blade ripping into his flesh easily. Ramza's face lit up in shock, and a faint gasp escaped his lips.

Agrias drew back, throwing the dagger to the ground. Ramza slumped to his knees, clutching his midsection. He looked up and saw that Agrias' face was devoid of any sort of emotions.

"...I'm...sorry..." Ramza apologized as he felt the wound already beginning to close. He got to his feet once more. Agrias flew into a blind rage, picking up the dagger again and stabbing Ramza multiple times in the chest. Each time she did, however, the wounds closed seconds later, and Ramza stood completely unscathed.

"...I'm sorry..." Ramza said again. "I'm denying your revenge without even trying..."

Agrias went for another stab, but Ramza caught her hand in his own. His grasp tightened like a noose around Agrias' hand, and she was forced to let go of the blade.

"You're acting on your most basic instincts..." Ramza said. "You can't even think rationally..."

"D...ie...Ra...m...za..." Agrias replied monotonously.

"Someday I will..." Ramza whispered into Agrias' ear. He then brought his arms around Agrias and pulled her close to him. Agrias thrashed wildly for a few moments, but then succumbed to the embrace, standing completely still with her arms hanging at her side.

"Only you, Agrias..." Ramza said. "I won't die by anyone else's hands but yours, I promise you this. I've scarred you beyond forgiveness, my woes are now yours as well. We've become one by blood, and only you will ever have the power to end my life. I only ask that you give me a little more time...Alma still needs me...Once this is over, you're free to do with my life what you will..."

Ramza prepared to let Agrias go, but he was pulled back by her own return embrace.

"Ra...m...za..." Agrias droned again.

"My heartbeat..." Ramza whispered. "Can you feel it...?"

"...I...I can..."

"And I yours, Agrias..."

"Is everything alright in there, Ramza?" Lavian's voice chimed in. The door swung open, and the two Holy Knights entered. All they found however, was an empty room, a dagger lay on the ground next to the bed where Agrias once resided, a faint pool of crimson lay around the point of the blade.

"They're gone!" Lavian shrieked.

"We did the right thing..." Alicia said, placing a comforting hand on the shoulder of Lavian. Alicia merely shook her head.

"What are we going to tell Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn...?" Asked Lavian.

"We're going to tell them the truth. If we're discharged, then we must accept it. Never forget, Lavian, we swore allegiance to Ramza's cause long before we became Holy Knights."

"I know that, but..."

"Do you regret your decision to free him?" Asked Alicia. "I will accept full blame for this if need be."

"No." Lavian said fervently. "We are in this together. We helped Ramza of our own free will, no one ordered us to do so. If it goes against anyone's judgment, even that of our rulers, then we will both shoulder the burden. That is the code of a knight, honor above all else."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Praised Alicia. The two then closed the door behind them, a cold draft sifting into the room through the open window...


	10. A Maiden's Prayer

Interlude - A Maiden's Prayer

_The darkness...it...it won't go away..._

_Brother...brother Ramza...please...help me...save me..._

_I don't want to be alone again..._

_Where have you gone...?_

_I can't remember anything...when I awoke, I was here...surrounded by nothing but dismal abyss._

_I'm frightened brother...where are you...? _

_Save me...please..._

_I wish I were strong enough to do this by myself, but I'm not..._

_I curse the fates for bequeathing me such a frail body and mind...but there is nothing I can do about that..._

_I need someone to protect me...to stay by my side and keep me safe from harm..._

_It's not something I am capable of alone..._

_Why won't the darkness go away...?_

_Why won't it let me go...?_

_Am I forever destined to live a life in the shadows of the world...?_

_To be used time and again, and then thrown away like an unwanted toy...?_

_I don't want that..._

_I never wanted the life of a noble, nor the repercussions that went with it..._

_I just wanted to exist, to live as my own person..._

_For one brief moment in time, I had my wish..._

_I was able to live peacefully, with you..._

_My dear brother...Ramza..._

_But here I am once again, ensnared by this merciless darkness..._

_My heart cries out for you...brother Ramza..._

_I wish you were here with me..._

_If you were, then everything would be okay..._

_You always made everything right..._

_Ever since we were young children, you would always protect me..._

_I was so immature, I could not fully understand what I was feeling at the time..._

_But when I heard news of Teta's death, and what it did to Delita, it all became perfectly clear._

_I need you, brother...and you need me..._

_We are the last remaining descendants of our father, the mighty Balbanes Beoulve._

_I loved father dearly, he too protected me from all the harsh realities of the world, keeping me wrapped in safety within his veil of love._

_But he has long since left me, and now only you remain..._

_Brother Ramza..._

_I can't even begin to imagine life without you..._

_I am your sister...related in both blood and in name, but I love you as any woman would love a man. I cannot help these feelings that stir within me. You've done so much for me, putting your own life behind my own, always making sure I was safe. I was ecstatic to see that such an admirable trait was not lost on you when you became a soldier. After your descent into the fires of war, you became the light of my life._

_Whenever the darkness would come for me, you would drive it away with your sword and your valor._

_You are what any knight strives to be, and for that, I can safely say my feelings for you are not misplaced. Whenever decadence struck down those around me, you remained, standing tall, never bending to anyone's twisted will, always leading me by the hand to the right path..._

_I know that what I feel could most likely never be returned...but this is what my heart tells me..._

_Even if I am not able to love you like that, I will still shower you with the love of a sibling, if it is my only way of showing how much you mean to me, then I will gladly take that chance._

_...As this darkness continues to swirl around me, I somehow know that you are out there, searching high and low for me. I pray with all of my weak heart that you are doing alright without me at your side, that you are not writhing in the agony of loneliness as I am right now..._

_I'll do whatever I can to help you...even if it be ultimately futile..._

_Please, hear my words, wherever you may be in the world..._

_I love you more than you could ever know, and my devotion to you is what keeps me within the bounds of sanity..._

_I'll hold off the horrible delusions of my own despair as long as possible, so that you may find me._

_Our fates require that we remain together, for the sake of both of us._

_We are two sides of the same coin, we depend on each other to exist in a world that spurns us._

_Just as I curse the fates for being so weak, I also curse them for binding us together by name..._

_It is incredibly selfish for me to think in such a way, but I have but one desire, and that is to remain at your side, keeping you safe, as you do the same for me. To lose myself in your tender embrace, and never once return. To feel the warmth of your true love, and not just that of a sibling. That is the only thing I ask of the world..._

_But that is impossible._

_It frightens me to think of what may happen should my paternal love for you not be enough..._

_Will you leave me...?_

_Will you vanish from my life forever...?_

_I beg of you, dearest brother, help me..._

_Save me from the tangled web of confusion..._

_If I cannot love you with all of my heart, then I accept that, but I must be with you to exist...you are the only remaining piece of truth in a world full of lies._

_Please...brother Ramza...hear my words..._


	11. The Weight of a Sin

Chapter 9: The Weight of a Sin

The gentle sound of birds chirping and fluttering about entered the room. Their calm warbles instilled a feeling of serenity and peace in the otherwise silent abode. The lights had been since dimmed, the sunbeams streaming in through the window being the only source of illumination.

"Oh!" Exclaimed a voice happily. "She's finally waking up! Father! Come quickly!"

The sound of footsteps thundering down a hallway was heard, and then of a door flying open.

"Lady Agrias." The elder voice announced proudly. "I'm glad to see you are finally coming to."

"Ur...urgh..." Grunted the ex-Holy Knight. She sat up with a start, rubbing her eyes viciously.

"Calm down, you're still pretty weak." The younger voice warned. It was that of a young man, and it seemed very familiar.

"I don't need you to tell me that." Agrias snapped.

Her eyes finally focusing, Agrias confirmed what she had thought. The voice was indeed one of days gone by, but even with the time that had passed, it was still the same. The second figure entered the room and opened the shades completely, and the sunlight, before partially restricted by the curtains, shone through at its full potential now.

"Mustadio." Agrias said, nodding contently to herself as she saw the young engineer she had befriended some time ago.

"You remember me, I'm glad." Smiled Mustadio happily. "Father, come say hello."

"It's been quite a while, Lady Agrias." Said Besrodio.

"It has." Agrias replied in agreement. "I see the two of you have been well since we last met."

"I wish we could say the same for you." Besrodio said dejectedly.

"What do you mean?"

It took Agrias a few moments to realize what Besrodio exactly meant, but then it all began to come back to her.

"Ah, yes..." Agrias sighed, plopping her face into her propped waiting hands. "It has been a very rough time for me since then, but I'll not bore the two of you with such trite details of things you more than likely would not want to hear of."

"There's no need anyway, Agrias." Mustadio said. "Ramza told us everything."

"He did?"

"Of course." Nodded Mustadio. "It's been almost two weeks since Ramza came here to Goug. Father and I were quite shocked to see him with you strung across his back."

"Wait a second..." Agrias interrupted. "If I remember correctly, I was in the Atkascha Knight Barracks last, that's almost forty miles away from here!"

"Yes." Besrodio said. "It is my best assumption that he carried you this entire way."

"Impossible..." Muttered Agrias. "There's no way...he would've died from exhaustion, it's not even remotely feasible..."

"Oh, I think it is." Mustadio cut in. "Because he's different now."

"Different? What do you mean?" Agrias inquired.

"Young Ramza was not himself when he arrived here." Said Besrodio. "Both Mustadio and I could easily tell that he had changed very much. He seemed much more reserved, even when in the presence of old friends. And he exhibited a rather disturbing aura about him, nothing like we remember."

"And did he tell you why?" Poised Agrias.

"He didn't." Mustadio said with a sigh. "He arrived, begged us to hide you, and then vanished without another word. He said he would return eventually, but he never gave us any exact date or time, so neither Father nor I have a clue where he went or when he will come back."

"He's gone..." Agrias choked out.

"I'm afraid so." Besrodio answered. "It's strange though..."

"What's strange Father?" Mustadio asked.

"Young Lady Agrias looked to be in terrible health when she was brought here, but look at her now."

The two engineers scoped Agrias out and saw that her outward appearance seemed to be overly healthy. Her skin had returned to its normal tone, and her breathing too was going at a regular pace, much different than the forced draws of breath they saw previously.

"Is it a miracle?" Questioned Mustadio.

"I'm not really sure, my son." Besrodio said, rubbing his chin curiously. "What Lady Agrias had was not a normal sickness, this much I am sure of, and now, it seems to have vanished without a trace remaining. Although, it may be in part due to Ramza's influence."

"Ramza's influence?" Agrias said with a cocked brow.

"Yeah, that most likely had something to do with it." Mustadio agreed.

"What are you the two of you talking about?"

"I am very sorry, Lady Agrias, but I made a vow to Ramza to not reveal such information. He said only he would be able to fully explain, and we were to keep you here until he returned." Besrodio admitted.

Agrias' face remained blank for a few seconds, as she was trying to take in all of what she had just heard. She couldn't believe it. She had since been dragged into Ramza's plight, but now he had abandoned her here in Goug. One scant night earlier, she was on the verge of death, but now she looked to be almost completely healthy, apparently due to "Ramza's influence" as Mustadio and Besrodio had said. Was Ramza trying to protect Agrias somehow by leaving her in Goug?

The thought of being left at the wayside while destiny passed her by once more irked Agrias to no end. Her face turned into a scowl.

"You fool..." Agrias muttered angrily, almost to herself.

"Agrias, what's wrong?" Asked Mustadio.

"I have to go." Agrias announced suddenly, throwing the covers off her body.

"But you're not fully recovered yet!" Exclaimed Mustadio.

"So you think." Agrias said as she got to her feet.

"Wha...?" Mustadio looked Agrias up and down, and saw all of the wounds, even including the grotesque pierce wound in her abdomen, had completely vanished. Agrias now stood, completely unscathed.

"How...how did..." Bumbled the two Goug residents.

"It's a long story, and I've not the time to explain any of it." Agrias said.

The ex-Holy Knight started to the door, but Mustadio got in front of her and grabbed her by the arm.

"Get out of my way Mustadio." Agrias snorted, shirking the young engineer's grasp off quite effortlessly.

"I can't." Mustadio refused, once more taking hold of Agrias' arm.

Agrias' face curled up into an indignant stare.

"I'll not say it again, remove yourself from in front of me, or I will have to force you." Warned Agrias, this time her cold gaze made Mustadio relinquish his hold on his own.

"I promised Ramza not to let you leave here." Mustadio said.

"I don't care what you promised him." Agrias said, her voice starting to sound brass. "You've no right to confine me in this city like I were some slave."

"But Ramza said...!" Mustadio began to say.

"It's alright, Mustadio." A fourth voice chimed in, coming from behind Besrodio. "She won't need to go anywhere."

"Ah, Ramza, you startled me." Besrodio huffed, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "You really mustn't sneak up on an old man like that."

"Forgive me, Besrodio." Ramza's innocent voice apologized.

Ramza stepped out from beside Besrodio. Agrias' jaw dropped in shock.

"What's wrong now, Agrias?" Mustadio asked, shooting a quick look back at Ramza, then back to Agrias. "Oh, I see."

Ramza's appearance nearly made Agrias' heart stop. He was completely different than the last time Agrias had seen him. No longer was he clad in simple leather duds, he now was covered from the neck down in dark, steely armor. The pitch black attire absorbed all light cast onto it, offering no sort of reflection. There were small studs jutting out from the base of the knuckles on his gauntlets, and larger ones lined along the edges of his elbows. The breastplate covered him almost completely, showing only small traces of silver chainmail underneath it. The chainmail was tucked into a tasset of identical material as his armor, covering Ramza's upper thighs. What part wasn't covered were protected by breeches that connected into his greaves.

"My God..." Agrias stuttered. "Ramza, what has happened to you...?"

"I feel the same way as you, Agrias." Mustadio said. "This armor is alot different than what I'm used to seeing him wear."

"I don't think it's just my armor that has her in shock, Mustadio." Ramza said, running his fingers through his hair collectively.

"Please..." Agrias whispered solemnly. "May I speak to Ramza, alone?"

"Of course." Besrodio obeyed, motioning to his son. "Come, Mustadio."

"Okay." Mustadio said, coming to his father's side. Mustadio looked at Ramza and smiled.

"It's good to have you back, Ramza."

"I thank you for keeping Agrias safe during my time of absence, Mustadio." Ramza said respectively.

"It's what friends are for." Answered Mustadio.

The two left the room, shutting the door behind them carefully. Ramza crossed his arms on his chest and looked to the ground, silently contemplating Agrias' words that were about to be spoken.

"Look at me." Agrias demanded. Ramza shook his head in reply.

"Look at me!" Agrias shouted loudly.

Ramza's head slowly raised back up. Agrias walked over to him slowly, almost cautiously.

"Agrias..."

"Shhh..." Agrias hushed Ramza, placing a hand on his shoulder. She traced her finger along his armor, taking in the sight before her.

Ramza's breathing began to quicken, he knew exactly what was happening. Agrias' hand then left Ramza's armor and stopped on his left cheek. Her bare skin tickled Ramza's every sense, just as it always did.

Agrias could barely find the words to describe what she was seeing. As he said, it wasn't merely just Ramza's new armor that stood out. As she removed her hand from his cheek, she found herself staring at the scar she had moments earlier been covering. The scar was colored blood red, but had the substance from the Reverse Trinity on Ramza's back flowing through it. The scar itself seemed to be alive.

"They're all over my body, you just can't see them..." Ramza whispered.

"And your eyes...?"

Ramza's pupils, while once a dark copper color, had since turned as black as the armor he wore, but every time he took a breath, a faint appearance of the cursed mark on his back would flash, and then disappear.

"Ramza...what's happening to you...?"

"My sins are finally beginning to smother me, Agrias. The Reverse Trinity was just the start of it all. This poison will continue to spread throughout my body, robbing me of every fiber of life, until I waste away into nothingness. It's a slow and painful death, marred with constant reminders of what I have done. It's working exactly as he said it would."

"He?" Agrias asked.

"I struck him down without ever knowing the kind of torment he went through because of me. He sold his soul to the devil to try and get back at me, but I still emerged victorious. And now, caught between the boundaries of life and death, he seeks to drag me into oblivion right along with him."

"That makes no sense!" Agrias shrieked. "You're talking in riddles! Who are you referring to?"

Ramza said nothing as he took hold of Agrias' hand and placed it on his chest, where his slow heartbeat could be felt from underneath the cold steel of his armor.

"My heartbeat..." Ramza whispered.

"I...I can feel it..." Agrias repeated her words from before.

"You're one of the very few who can now..."

Ramza let go of Agrias' hand, and she slowly withdrew it back to her side.

"But," Ramza started again. "I suppose that's not surprising, as you share the same fate as I do."

"Why must you say such grim words?" Agrias winced.

"I only speak the truth, Agrias. I was able to slow down your corruption, but at a cost..."

Ramza trailed off, and Agrias' eyes shot wide open.

"You didn't..." She mumbled.

"My tainted blood runs through your veins as well, so it is only right that I share more of my own to slow your destruction, even it hastened mine."

"You're such a fool..." Agrias said angrily. "You wasted such precious time and energy on me, I'm not worth your life, Ramza. You're the hero of our people, why would you sacrifice such a portion of yourself for a single person!"

"I don't think of it as a waste, Agrias. After all, I need you to stay alive."

"You don't need me!" Agrias shot back. "You need Alma! And you'll never make it to her if you further your own demise! Stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your head, Ramza!"

"...You are right." Ramza said with a nod. "I do need Alma, and she needs me as well. But I cannot continue to exist with only her anymore. This has gone far beyond the two of us. I never wanted you to be a part of this, but it's too late now."

"What...are you saying...?" Agrias gasped.

"I need you, Agrias Oaks, to live, to exist. Only with you will I be able to advance any further down this cursed path I have been led to. You must remain at my side, for my sake, for yours, and for Alma as well. Please, do not think my words are selfish, I am thinking only in the best interest of you and Alma. Our destinies have become intertwined, whether we want it this way or not."

"Destiny? Stop speaking such grandiose nonsense!" Agrias shouted angrily. "Forget about me, go to Alma!"

"If I go any further alone, I will surely perish. I refuse to leave without you, no matter how many times you object to it."

"...even if your sister suffers because of it...?" Agrias challenged.

"Her suffering cannot be avoided, I've come to accept that. But if I die before I reach her, it will be never ending torment. Please Agrias, do not put my beloved sister through the kind of hell that you and I have been through."

"You're such a stubborn boy, always making the most sense, even if it still sounds ludicrous..." She fumed.

Ramza smiled a half-smile in reply, then walked over to the window in the room, staring down into the busy streets of Goug below him.

"Once I have found Alma, I can finally rest..."

"Rest...?" Agrias cocked her eyebrow curiously.

"The horrific experiences I've had during the Lion War and the time following it have never once left my conscious. Every day, every waking moment, the memories I wish I could forget play out before my eyes, showing me of what my actions have done. It wouldn't matter if I saved the world a hundred times over, the people think of me as nothing but a monster. I've since gone down in history as a heretic, and now, history is simply biding its time until news of my death can finally be recorded. If not for Alma, such angst would've caused me to lose myself long ago. But she has kept me going under such extreme circumstances."

"Ramza..." Agrias said dejectedly.

"I thought that by getting her back, I could return to simply living. That was the original idea, anyway. But things have become much different now. I have changed, and I've changed those around me, in ways both good and bad. I've given former comrades hope in knowing that I am still alive, but also I've given my enemies renewed faith to have my head. I've also changed you in ways you did not want, just so that I could remain. I've brought my terrible curse upon you, all for the sake of my own wants and needs. The moment that sword pierced into the both of us, you became a necessary part of my life. I'll not lie to you Agrias, I need you, and that is the honest truth, I swear upon the miserable existence I continue to live out."

"..." Agrias remained silent.

"And that is why I have promised myself that only you have the right to take my life. You are the only one I will let end this existence. Once I have been laid to rest, any and all influence I have over your body and mind will disappear into thin air, my poisoned blood will remove itself from your being. My life, it will be yours to do with whatever you please."

"That's..." Agrias could barely speak.

"However, I will only let this happen once I have saved Alma, please understand."

Agrias shook her head and walked over to Ramza, also staring out the window along with him.

"What makes you think I wouldn't just take your life now?" Agrias said slyly.

"Because I know you too well. You respect me too much to go against my wishes."

"Respect...what a quaint word..." Mused Agrias.

"A word that, if not for you, would've since been lost on me." Ramza said.

Agrias sighed heavily.

"What is it, Agrias?"

"Why must you endure such a hellish fate?" Agrias pondered. "Such maddening situations were meant for a natural soldier like myself, not for a gallant lad like you."

"The fates work in ways we may never truly comprehend." Ramza answered fervently. "Some choose to run from their fates, and others, like the two of us, choose to meet them head on, our own strong will to live keeping us afloat."

"I suppose." Agrias said.

"It is almost time for us to leave this place." Ramza announced.

"Where will we go next?"

"The place where I first started down the path of my destruction." Ramza said cryptically.

"I see..."

"Before that though, I must test my own power, and yours as well. I must see if the two of us are even capable of meeting such a tremendous obstacle. This will not be a simple test of our battle prowess, it will be a test of our very souls, whatever part remains over our corruption."

"I understand." Agrias nodded.

"Your armor is over there." Ramza said as he pointed to the corner of the room. "I had it repaired and strengthened."

"That's quite foreboding, if you ask me." Agrias said.

"We must be prepared for whatever should happen, it is one of the many codes of a soldier."

"Of course." Agrias agreed with a nod. "And what about my weapon?"

"Right there." Ramza pointed again at a sword a few feet away from the armor that lay on the floor.

Agrias made her way over to the pile of armor and examined it. She brought her hand around the hilt of her sword and withdrew it from its sheath. It was very much like her traditional blade from her days as a Holy Knight. She felt very familiar with the sword, and nodded in approval. After resheathing it, she scooped up her gauntlets and prepared to lace them around her hands, but she stopped when she saw a sword much larger than her own leaning against the dresser. It appeared to be a greatsword, a blade that required the use of both hands to wield.

"That's mine." Ramza called out, answering Agrias' question before she was even able to ask it.

Agrias knelt down next to the blade and looked it over carefully. It was polished to a perfect finish, and small inscriptions where lined along the middle of the cutting edge.

"What is this...?" Agrias whispered.

"Read it and you'll find out." Ramza said.

Agrias carefully mouthed the words engraved into the sword:

_"The weight of a sin, forgivable to none, loathed by all."_

"How sad..." Agrias sighed.

"All too true, I'm sorry to say." Ramza said as he walked over to the sword and grabbed the blade by the handle. He brought the sword to his back and proceeded out the door.

"I will meet you outside, take as much time as you need to prepare, there are a few things I would like to discuss with Mustadio before we depart." Ramza announced, opening the door and exiting.

Agrias began to get into her armor, readying her mind and body for the duel that was to come...


	12. When In the Rain

Chapter 10: When In the Rain

Far outside of Goug Machine City, two figures stood, locked in a stare down that seemed to go on forever. The two fighters, one Ramza Beoulve and one Agrias Oaks, their worlds torn apart by the fires of war, now sought to piece back together whatever shreds of those shattered realities were left, in the only way they knew how, a duel. A duel of warriors, of comrades, of friends. A battle that bore no malicious intent or harbored hatred. A duel that was only to test the inward power of two souls, battered and broken in body and mind, but still standing.

Agrias slowly brought her hand to the sheath of her sword and withdrew it slowly. The cold steel blade made a faint grinding noise as it was withdrawn from its protective sheath. Sunlight reflected down onto Agrias' sword, the beams bouncing off the polished finish onto whatever lay around her. Trees, rocks, almost everything except for her opponent. Any light that came into contact with Ramza's armor instantly vanished, lost within the pitch black color of the ghastly looking protective gear.

Agrias took a deep breath and began to focus her thoughts. She had only just recently recovered from her injuries, and was still trying to get a full grasp on what was happening before her very eyes. This would be the very first time she ever took up arms against Ramza. Naturally, she knew it was not a real battle, but it was real enough for Agrias to feel her warrior heritage coming to life once again within the depths of her soul. Taking one more breath, Agrias brought her sword up to her chest. She made the final preparations for battle, mentally and physically, and then took her stance, blade at the ready.

Ramza withdrew the two-handed sword from behind him. There was no sheath possibly big enough to house such an enormous weapon, so he carried behind him with one hand all the time. The sheer weight of the blade was a constant reminder of his plight, and though ironic as to how it did make him think of what he was going through, it helped him stay focused. Raising the greatsword into the air, Ramza brought his free hand onto the handle, positioned slightly below his other hand. The sword was now pointed diagonally in the air, the tip of the blade pointing into the boundless sky above.

Agrias was taken aback by what she saw before her. She had never known Ramza to be one to use such an unruly weapon like a greatsword, but he held the blade above him with ease. He had changed so much, in such a short frame of time no less. Each time she saw him, there always seemed to be something different about Ramza than the last. If not for his familiar aura of innocence that faintly shown through his veil of despair, Agrias would not even be able to recognize her former leader. Nevertheless, Ramza Beoulve, with all of his alterations, stood before her, ready to engage in battle.

"Are you ready, Agrias?" Ramza asked, tightening the grip on his weapon.

"I am." Agrias nodded in reply. "Make the first move, Ramza. Have at you!"

Ramza wasted no time, granting Agrias' wish with a boundless charge. He brought the greatsword down with terrific force, but Agrias sidestepped just in the nick of time. The second Ramza's sword hit the ground, it caused a small rift in the earth in which it struck. It wasn't just from the weight of the blade, it was from the latent power within Ramza's soul, coming out in all its glory. Agrias noted this to herself as she poised to strike. She spun her body around in a tight circle, her sword extending out from her arm like a propeller. Ramza brought his arm up quick enough to bounce the attack of the hilt of his sword. Agrias went off balance for a second, but quickly recovered, bringing her sword up once more, this time defensively. That was her best option, as Ramza then tore into her with a tremendous onslaught of attacks.

The weight of Ramza's sword crashed down onto Agrias over and over again, each strike almost breaking Agrias' wrists due to the intense impact. This wasn't the way to win, and Agrias quickly figured that out. As Ramza reared back again for another hit, she rolled off to the side. Ramza's swing was met with nothing but air. Before he could even return his weapon to his body, Agrias was on the offensive once more. She thrust forward with all she had. Ramza could not bring his sword up in time, and was forced to react in the only way he could think of. He released one of his hands from the handle of his sword and clamped Agrias' in it. His armor prevented his skin from being sliced open. Ramza was once again in the advantageous position. He pulled forward with the hand that held Agrias' sword in it. Agrias stumbled forward, unable to pry her weapon out of Ramza's grasp. Suddenly, Ramza then reversed his actions, shoving the sword away.

Agrias knew what was coming next. As she lost her balance once more, Ramza brought his sword up with one hand and let loose with a hard downward slash. However, without the aid of his other hand, the attack was incredibly inaccurate, and missed its mark completely. Without thinking twice, Agrias raised her sword up to Ramza's throat.

"I win." She declared proudly.

"Tch..." Ramza scoffed.

"Looks like you need more practice." Agrias beamed, much to the chagrin of Ramza.

"I guess so." Ramza admitted.

Agrias lowered her sword down her side and then resheathed it, then walked a few yards away from Ramza.

"Ready for round two?" Agrias challenged.

"Whenever you are." Ramza answered, returning his greatsword to its resting position behind his back.

This time it was Agrias who initiated the offensive actions. She charged Ramza with her blade still sheathed. Ramza stood there, trying to read Agrias' moves. When she was about a foot away from Ramza, Agrias' sword flew from its holster. Ramza knew he wouldn't be able to get his sword into its ready position in that short frame of time, so he spun around, turning his back to Agrias. Her sword grounded up the edge of Ramza's, and he fended her off by bringing his weapon over his head and arcing it forward. The force threw Agrias to the wayside, knocking her to the ground.

When she looked up, she saw Ramza standing there, holding his sword in front of her face.

"We're even now." Ramza snickered.

"With only one move too...impressive." Agrias applauded.

Ramza withdrew his sword and lodged it into the ground beside him, then offered a hand to Agrias to help her up.

"You're not supposed to help opponents, you realize." Agrias sighed as she took hold of Ramza's hand.

"I know, but what can I say?" Ramza said bashfully as he jerked his hand up, bringing Agrias to her feet with ease.

"Be careful!" Agrias shouted. "Do you want to yank my arm out of its socket?"

"Sorry!" Ramza exclaimed, his face becoming a hint redder. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Of course not." Agrias smiled. "I'm much tougher than you think me to be."

"I know." Ramza said.

"Good, that's what I wanted to hear." Agrias said, taking pride in Ramza's acknowledgment of her strength. However, that strength seemed to fade away almost instantly when she looked down and saw that Ramza was still holding onto her hand. Agrias felt her entire arm turn to putty.

"Huh?" Ramza said as he too looked down. "Oh!"

He snatched his hand away without another moment of delay.

"Y...yes, you certainly have become quite the fighter, Ramza." Agrias quickly tried to change the subject, holding her arm while she waited for the feeling to return to it.

"That goes for you too." Ramza replied, resting his hands on his sword, which was still propped in the ground.

"So then, it's time for the tiebreaker. Let's go." Ramza announced.

"Not quite yet." Agrias said, taking a long breath. "I don't think I'm ready. What say we take a quick rest?"

"You're tired already?" Ramza said in shock. "Wow, you're out of shape..."

Agrias' eyes turned to narrow slits. She glared at Ramza evilly.

"Let us not forget who has been asleep for the past two weeks, and who has most likely been training..." Muttered Agrias.

"R...right...you're right...forgive me..." Ramza said in fear, backing away from Agrias. "Let me go get you something to drink."

"It's not necess-"

Before Agrias could finish her sentence, Ramza had bolted off in the direction of Goug, which was about a half-mile away. Agrias shook her head and flicked her hair back over her shoulders. The wind then began to pick up slightly, causing the local flora and fauna to dance about, to and fro. It became caught in Agrias' hair, still tied back, and it too began to flutter about.

"Hmm..."

Agrias looked over and saw that Ramza had left his sword wedged into the ground. Sheathing her own sword once more, she knelt down to the greatsword and reread the words engraved into the blade.

_"The weight of a sin. Forgivable to none, loathed by all."_

"I'm going to make sure he never believes those words..." Agrias quietly promised to herself. Reaching into her pocket, Agrias withdrew the lilac she had placed there some time ago. Even though the flower had since been cut from its nourishing stem, the petals still clung to it with no sign of withering. Agrias was surprised to see the lilac still exactly the same as before.

"..." Agrias was silent as she slowly brought her free hand behind her head and slowly pulled at the lace keeping her hair tied together. The lace instantly gave away, and Agrias' hair fell freely onto her shoulders. Bringing the flower up to her hair, she etched it in between her golden locks and kept it there. Putting the lace into the pocket where the lilac once was, Agrias sat down and leaned onto Ramza's sword. The unforgiving, cold steel touched her skin, sending a shiver up her spine, but Agrias sat there anyway. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

_"Is there such a sin that is truly unforgivable...?"_

"Agrias...?" Ramza's voice once again came into the ex-Holy Knight's ears. Agrias tilted her head forward and looked over. Ramza was standing there in awe, holding a small glass of water in his trembling hands.

Agrias sighed dreamily to herself, then got to her feet.

"Took you long enough." Agrias sneered playfully.

"Uh...well I..." Ramza stuttered foolishly.

"I'm waiting..." Agrias said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Whoops, sorry...!"

Ramza started forward, but tripped over his own feet. The cup containing the water flew forward and splashed all over Agrias.

"Oh no..." Ramza said, burying his face into the ground in embarrassment.

Rather than be angry, Agrias was at a loss over what she was seeing. She cocked her head in confusion, and rubbed her chin accordingly.

"What IS it with you, Ramza?" Agrias questioned.

Ramza peeked his head up, small patches of dirt painted on his cheeks.

"Ummm...?" Ramza bumbled.

"One minute, you're a serious and stoic soldier, and the next, you're a clumsy ox, and immature as ever. You're so perplexing sometimes..."

Ramza turned away in humiliation, heaving a big sigh.

"Don't sound so depressed." Agrias spoke once again. "I never said it was a bad thing. On the contrary, it's quite charming, if I do say so myself."

"Huh...?"

"You can showcase all the traits of a veteran of war, but still keep the kind of purity that only a child has. There are very few people in this world like you, Ramza."

Ramza got to his feet and dusted his armor and face off, then scratched his head earnestly.

"Come, sit with me for a spell." Agrias proposed, patting the ground beside her with her hand. Ramza reluctantly made his way over to Agrias and sat down next to her. He stretched his arms and legs out in front of him and began to relax.

"Life isn't all about battles, you know." Agrias said. "There are some times when you must take in what you have before you right now, and not what may happen in the future."

"It's difficult though..." Ramza admitted, bowing his head onto his chest. "I can rarely ever get my mind off Alma."

"But you do manage to do so every now and then, right?" Agrias poised.

"Yes, but it's only for a brief moment."

"I understand your concern for your sister, Ramza. However, endlessly brooding over it will do you no good, just as it will do no such good for Alma either. It you continue to tempt the darkness with such foreboding thoughts, you'll only give in faster."

"I know..."

"I do not know who this person is you speak of, the one that placed this curse upon you, but if I understand your situation like I think I do, then you're doing exactly what he wants you to do."

"I am...?"

"Alma was taken from you to make you think of just how much she means to you. Without her, you feel lost, out of place in a world that has no need for you."

"That's right..." Ramza said dejectedly.

"I figured as much." Agrias said. "My advice to you would be to not think so much of Alma. Yes, you must save her, and yes, you need her, but mindlessly pining for something that, for now, is out of your reach will only drive you into darkness faster."

"She's not the only one I need now..." Ramza said.

"I'll remain at your side as long as need be." Agrias answered Ramza's question before he could even bring it up. "Worry not, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"I'm glad..." Ramza said as he tried to meek out a smile. "Agrias..."

"What is it?"

"You explained my fate almost to the letter. How do you know so much about this?"

"It's very much similar to my own, that is why..." Agrias whispered.

"It is...? What do you mean...?"

Agrias shook her head and sighed. She had kept this hidden for far too long. She wasn't fooling anyone anymore, not even herself. The time had finally come to reveal her innermost secret.

"You really want to know...?" Agrias questioned.

"I do." Ramza nodded.

"Are you completely sure? This may hinder your quest even more should you know such a startling truth." Warned Agrias.

"I'll take that chance." Ramza said boldly.

"Very well then..."

Agrias got to her feet in a hurry, then stood before Ramza, looming over him.

"Stand up." Agrias said.

"Agrias...?"

"Stand up, please." Agrias repeated.

Ramza did as he was told, and then stood face to face with Agrias.

"Ramza Beoulve...I..."

"What?"

"I..."

"What are you trying to say Agrias?"

Agrias bit her lower lip. Her knees felt like jelly, and they wanted to buckle at a moment's notice. But Agrias stiffened her resolve and steeled her nerves.

"If it's too hard...you don't have to say it..." Ramza whispered softly.

"No, you said you wanted to hear it, and now you will."

Ramza's face became hot. His heart began to race, and his brow was became slightly wet with perspiration. Looking into Agrias' eyes, Ramza could see just how difficult it was for Agrias to say what she wanted to say. She was a very proud woman, admitting to anything was always an obstacle for her. Now she was trying her best to overcome the greatest one of all.

"Ramza..."

"Agrias..."

Agrias slid the gauntlet off her left hand and let it fall to the ground at her feet. Once more she brought her bare hand to Ramza's face and let it glide across each and every one of his features. Her fingers touched the hideous scar, and it seemed to react to her.

"You won't take my life...will you...?" Ramza said.

"What...?"

"I promised my life to you, Agrias, you were supposed to be the one to let me finally rest...but now..."

Ramza stepped back, and Agrias' hand fell back to her side.

"...It's _me_ who's not worth y_our_ effort..." Ramza admitted. "Don't waste your life and your heart on such a miserable person like me...you deserve much better than this. I'll bring you nothing but sadness and grief, just as I've done to Alma."

Ramza shook his head, ending the forced conversation almost instantly. He walked over to his sword and returned it to his back.

"It looks like it'll rain soon." Ramza said, looking up the sky. The sunlight had become partially blocked by grey clouds. Distant sounds of thunderclaps could be heard.

"We'd better get going. We're still a ways off from our destination, and this rain will surely make our journey that much more difficult."

And with that, Ramza started into a light stroll, not once looking back at Agrias.

Agrias' head sunk to her chest, and she stared at the ground with a blank stare. Only when a single raindrop fell onto her neck and slid down her back did she come back to attention. She saw Ramza was already in the distance, looking back at her, waiting patiently. Agrias looked up at the cloudy sky and saw a light drizzle had begun to fall. She reached up into her hair and withdrew the lilac, then dropped the beautiful flower onto the ground.

As she started after Ramza, her words hung on the air around the lilac she left behind.

_"Evanescence...what a sad word..."_


	13. The Long Road

Chapter 11: The Long Road

With Goug just a speck on the horizon behind them, Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks continued on their journey together. Agrias remained a ways behind Ramza for a time, watching his every move. The hurried strides he was taking showed his urgency to finish his task. She eventually decided to walk at an even pace with him, looking over every now and then at the young man. His eyes were so affixed to the road that lay before him, he never once returned Agrias' glance. This made Agrias feel a bit sad. For just a brief moment before, Agrias felt like she was finally beginning to understand exactly where Ramza's destination was. He had never once openly told her where he was leading her, but she followed him anyway, she was that determined to help him in whatever way she could.

The two were on an eastbound setting, they slowly trudged their way through the Zigolis Swamp. The excursion was uneventful to say the least, and before long, they had cleared the marsh and returned to the trusty dirt road that resumed upon exiting Zigolis. With most of the day spent marching through the damp and sticky wetlands, the two could see a castle town on the horizon. The two knew the place all too well.

"Lionel Castle." Agrias said as she pointed eastward with a guiding hand.

"It seems like we just left the place." Ramza said.

"It's been almost a month, believe it or not." Agrias informed her traveling companion.

"Do you think they're looking for you?" Ramza poised, finally looking over at Agrias.

"Somehow, I doubt it." Agrias said with a sigh. "They've no need to send out a search party for a simple commoner, even if that commoner was once a part of their ranks."

"Don't sell yourself short, Agrias." Ramza huffed. "I think you're worth much more to them than what you say."

"The ranks of knighthood are cruel masters, Ramza. When one resigns or is killed in action, another comes to take their place. My situation is no different. It is necessary to keep the ranks strong and organized. Dwelling upon lost comrades is not a professional practice."

"A person's life is worth much more than any possible rank, we both know that." Ramza said.

"And we need not go through it again, all it is doing is slowing our rate of travel down." Fumed Agrias.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just don't continue to bring up things we've discussed time and again already. There's a time and a place for such conversations, and now is not that time."

"Yeah..."

"Once this is over, feel free to talk as much as you please, we'll have all the time in the world." Agrias said with a playful grin.

"..." Was the only answer Agrias got.

"We're coming up on Lionel's gates. Let us stay on the outskirts of town. We need to leave as soon as possible." Agrias said.

"But didn't you just say they weren't looking for you?" Questioned Ramza.

"Maybe so, but if just one of my former knights sees me, they'll drag me back to the barracks, where I'll be grilled with countless questions of where I had gone. Another hindrance that we do not need."

"That's a good point." Ramza agreed wholeheartedly. "Okay, we'll just get a few supplies in town and then be on our way."

"The Atkascha Knight Barracks are deep within the heart of Lionel's town, close to the castle. Should we stay a good distance away from there, no one should even take a second glance at us."

"Sounds like a plan."

The two entered Lionel Castle town, stopping at the center square, the central hub of the busy burg.

"I'll acquire the necessary items for our travels. We'll need proper supplies of healing medicines."

"I'll wait here then." Ramza said, sitting contently on a nearby bench.

"Give me your cape."

"Huh?"

Agrias motioned to the silk cape trailing off the shoulder pieces of Ramza's chest plate. It was a well crafted piece of traveling material, inscribed with all sorts of runic symbols.

"I'll need something to hide my face, just in case someone I do know is out here. You've changed so much since you were here last, I don't think anyone would recognize you anyway."

"Oh, alright." Ramza complied, removing the cape from his shoulders. He folded it up neatly, then handed it to Agrias.

"Thank you." Agrias said politely as she draped the cape over her face and then covered herself. It was a rather large cape, even for Ramza, so it had ample length to cover Agrias' face, as well as most of her body. With only her greaves showing underneath the black silk cape, Agrias motioned to Ramza, who nodded, and then started into the city. Ramza watched her vanish into the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives.

He then stretched out his arms and legs and began to contently wait for Agrias to return.

As she walked in haste through the crowded streets, Agrias looked at the faces of the people. The people she had long ago sworn to protect. Some were happy, others were strained, but the fact remained, they were still here. The Lucavi had not destroyed the world, and Agrias was one of the many who foresaw it. This made her feel somewhat content, but it quickly faded when she thought of the world she lived in today. Even without otherworldly tyrants threatening their existence, Agrias still lived the same disheartening life as before, only now she was unable to be a knight, the profession she had devoted herself to in body and soul. The world she had helped save now spurned her name, thanks to the smear campaign started by the church. It frightened Agrias to no end as to how the people she had fought, bled, and suffered for could just as easily turn against her without a second thought.

The public masses were being wrongfully swayed by the Church of Glabados, but there was nothing Agrias could do about it. If ever were she to try any such grand scheme, she would be exposed to the people as an enemy of God, and even her meager existence now would be under constant scrutiny by the people.

So, barring any such thoughts of rebellion, Agrias focused on the matter that she could actually help. She was Ramza Beoulve's comrade, his confidant, and his friend. More than that though, she found a deep sense of calm within him that could nowhere else be replicated. Only when she was by his side could she forget the horrors of the world around her, in all its political hellfire. Heroes turned into villains, saviors becoming destroyers, none of this mattered to Agrias when she was with Ramza. It was safe to assume that, in Ramza's company, Agrias Oaks could finally feel content, at peace.

But, that feeling of contentment was quickly fading right in front of Agrias' eyes. With each day, Agrias could feel the despair creeping through her body, slithering up and down every inch of her being, like a serpent. The second she left Lionel the first time with Ramza, Agrias had vowed to rid herself and Ramza of this cursed feeling of degradation. She knew that both she and Ramza were better than this, despite Ramza's thoughts to the contrary. If he would not reach out and take what he so rightly deserved, then Agrias would do it for the two of them.

Ramza Beoulve would not submit, and Agrias was going to make sure of that. And so, she stayed at his side, every waking moment, every second she was able to. She would follow him anywhere if need be. Agrias was devoted to Ramza, as he was the only real piece of truth left in the world of deceit and destruction.

"Did you hear?" Agrias picked up the beginning of a conversation between two townspeople. They both looked to be in a state of shock.

"I heard Lady Agrias abandoned her post at the Knight Barracks!" The second denizen exclaimed.

"But didn't she resign?" The first asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, but she had her orders never to leave. I heard it was for her own good."

Agrias pulled her hood over her face even tighter as she slowly walked past the two.

"What do you think she left for?"

"I have no idea, though there's rumors going around that she was kidnapped by someone."

"Kidnapped! Do you really think a strong ex-knight like Lady Agrias could be so easily abducted by just one person?"

"Sometimes...one person is all it takes..."

"Hmm?" The first towns person said, looking over his shoulder at the cloaked figure who was already a stone's throw away.

"What was that all about?" Said the citizen, scratching his head in confusion.

"Beats me." The second said, and the two were soon lost once again in idle conversation.

_Kidnapped...?_

_They couldn't be more wrong._

_He saved me from such a meaningless existence..._

_At least now, I'm able to do something with my life._

_Even if..._

_Even if it's discovering what demons lie beneath the hearts of even the most noble heroes..._

Agrias forced her bitter thoughts out of her mind and quickly made her way to the item shop. It was a simple building, nothing grand, but within its walls were the medicinal items she and Ramza needed to continue their travels.

"May I help you?" The shopkeeper greeted as the cloaked woman walked into his store.

"Greetings." Agrias spoke lowly, keeping her face hidden. "I am in need of traveling supplies, mostly curing salves for light wounds."

"Right away." The keeper nodded, going to the shelves behind him. He began to rummage through the many different vials, all the while, Agrias was counting out her remaining gil on the counter. She had only a small portion of spending money left, and the supplies she was going to buy would be scant.

"I've about one thousand gil," Agrias called out to the shopkeeper, who still had his back turned. "How many potions will that buy me?"

"Let's see..." The shopkeep grumbled to himself as he crunched the numbers in his head. "At three hundred gil a piece, that's about...three potions."

"I'll take what I can get." Agrias said as she placed the appropriate amount of gil in front of her, pocketing the rest underneath her cloak. The clerk grabbed the gil from the counter and then slid the three potions over to Agrias.

"I thank you." Agrias said courteously, slipping the small containers of glass in her fingers. She started for the door, waving goodbye to the clerk.

Upon exiting the store, Agrias looked over and saw something that nearly made her heart stop. There was a small brigade of Lionel knights heading her way. Ordering herself not to panic, Agrias carefully surveyed the oncoming troupe. They didn't look to be in any sort of hurry, so they most likely were not onto her. Bowing her head so to hide her face completely, Agrias walked past the knights, praying they wouldn't be on alert. Her prayers were answered, and she slipped by the knights without so much as even looking back at her. Agrias let out a sigh of relief, then hurried back to where Ramza was waiting for her.

He was just as she had left him. Sitting contently on the bench. Now however, his was tilted onto his chest, and his arms were crossed across his torso. Agrias approached Ramza, cocking her head curiously.

"Is he...sleeping?"

Agrias leaned down to see Ramza's face, and she saw that he was indeed dozing softly. Agrias laughed softly to herself.

"Of all the times to be taking a nap..." She mused playfully.

Agrias tapped Ramza lightly on the shoulder, and seconds later, he awoke.

"Oh, Agrias..." Ramza said, letting out a yawn. "Forgive me, I closed my eyes for just a second, and before I knew it, I was sound asleep."

"Is it really wise to be nodding off in the middle of the area where you caused such a commotion just one month prior?" Agrias poised.

"You're right, sorry..." Ramza said, blushing slightly.

"It's quite alright." Agrias said. "Here, I got what supplies I could afford."

She withdrew the three potions from her cloak and showed them to her companion.

"We'll have to use them sparingly." Agrias informed him.

"If things get bad, you can..." Ramza started.

"Don't even say it." Agrias cut him off. "No, I will not use them just on myself, and no, you have no say in this matter, so save your breath."

"Uhhhh...?" Ramza bumbled innocently.

"I said I know you too well, and I meant it. I knew exactly what you were going to say before you even said it."

"Wow Agrias, that's amazing." Ramza praised.

"Not really, it's just something you pick up when you're around one person long enough."

"Shall we get going then?" Ramza proposed. "Our next destination is Zaland Fort City. We'll cross Bariaus Hill, then we'll take a break when we arrive in town."

"Very well." Agrias agreed, withdrawing the cloak from her face. She was about to remove it, when Ramza stopped her.

"Hang onto that for now, even once we get out of here, your face will still be known in surrounding areas. You may need to disguise yourself again."

"A gift?" Agrias asked playfully. "Why Ramza, that's so thoughtful."

Ramza chuckled lightly to himself, then stood up, and the two then left Lionel Castle town. Upon setting foot outside the border, Agrias stopped.

"Agrias?" Ramza said, turning back and looking at his halted comrade. "What's wrong?"

Agrias silently looked south, past Lionel. There was a place that held great importance in her life beyond the hills in the distance, and Agrias could not help but catch one more glimpse at it.

Ramza came to Agrias' side and nudged her.

"Is something the matter Agrias?"

"...you really were nothing like them, were you?" Agrias said.

"Huh...?"

It took a moment for Ramza to catch on, but he then remembered what was south of Lionel.

"Golgorand..."

It was all coming back to him. The assault on the execution site to save Princess Ovelia turned out to be an ambush set up by Gafgarion. Ramza could recall crossing swords with the senior Dark Knight many a time, but Golgorand stood out the most. Ironic as it were, the events at Golgorand, a place of death, gave Ramza a new feeling of his life and the lives of those that stood alongside him. He thought back to what was said during that time, just before the battle had commenced.

_"You didn't know Agrias? He's a Beoulve." _

Those words of instigation by Gafgarion, trying to cause turmoil within Ramza's troops...

_"Ramza, are you really a Beoulve?"_

Agrias' utter surprise upon discovering the truth of Ramza's relation to Dycedarg and Zalbag Beoulve...

_"It's true, I am a Beoulve, but I'm not like my brothers, you have to believe me!" _

Ramza's denial of any involvement in the affairs of his elder siblings, and his plea to the Holy Knight of his innocence in the matter...

_"No doubt in my mind, I believe you!" _

And finally, Agrias' acceptance of Ramza's claim...

It had all escalated from that very moment in time. After Golgorand, Agrias had never once left Ramza's side, not even for her own ideals. She stuck with him until the bitter "end." However, within the blinding flash of light at the Graveyard of Airships, she thought she had lost him forever, but here they were, just the two of them. Comrades in arms once again, on yet another journey. But they were without their many other friends, now it was only Agrias Oaks and Ramza Beoulve. However, for this journey, that was all that was required.

"Agrias." Ramza spoke again, finally bringing Agrias from her reverie. "Thank you, for believing me."

"It was what I felt was right." Agrias answered on instinct. "My mind told me to reject your words, but my heart argued otherwise. I listened to the more sensible of the two, and I know my choice was not in vain."

Ramza said nothing, only smiling warmly at Agrias.

After a few more moments of looking back at the road leading to Lionel and Golgorand, the two did an about face, and started towards their next destination.The long road that was behind them gave way to the even longer road that still lay ahead...


	14. Young at Heart

Chapter 12: Young at Heart

Bariaus Hill was the next checkpoint in the travels of Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks. The two travelers were merely intending on passing through the area without any delay, but upon finally entering the vicinity, they stopped.

"Hmm..." Agrias mumbled to herself. "Strange place for an encampment, don't you think?"

"Yeah..." Ramza nodded in agreement.

Before them lay a dozen or so tents, made of animal rawhide. At the moment, there didn't seem to be anyone around, which only made the two feel more on edge. It was quiet, too quiet.

"What do you propose we do, Ramza?"

"Let's just avoid it entirely." Ramza said. "We don't know anything about who might be inside those tents."

"A wise idea." Agrias replied.

The two did an about face, and were met with about ten or so people at their rear, all holding weapons.

"Damn..." Agrias muttered as she went for her weapon. "It's never easy, is it?"

"Wait a minute..." Ramza said curiously. "Something doesn't seem right here..."

"What do you mean?" Agrias said with a raised brow, slowly sliding her sword back into her sheath. "They're hostiles, can't you tell by the way they raise their weapons against us?"

"Yes, but look at what they're wearing Agrias, doesn't it strike you as a bit odd?"

Agrias surveyed the people standing before her. It was true, they were not clad in any sort of metallic armor like any knight, nor did they carry typical knight weapons such as sabers. Instead, their armor consisted of light cloth, colored white. Their weapons were mostly crudely constructed pieces of metal wedged into a tree branch, sword-like in appearance only. Some held battle staves in their hands, others had nothing.

"Curiouser and curiouser..." Agrias brooded. "It's obvious they're no knights."

Ramza brought his greatsword to his front and wedged into the ground, then took a step forward.

"Ramza!" Agrias shouted. "Are you insane! Pick up your weapon!"

"There's no need Agrias." Ramza said with a wave of his hand. "Just look at these people, they're in no condition to fight, they're only acting in a defensive matter. Why do you think they haven't attacked us yet?"

Agrias saw that he was indeed correct, not one of the "hostiles" had made a single move yet. Withdrawing her hand from her sword hilt, Agrias got out of her fighting stance.

"You there." Agrias called out to the people. "We mean you no harm, we only ask that you let us pass through here."

Silence was the only response Agrias got in reply.

"Rude little knaves..." Agrias grumbled to herself.

"Please pardon her," Ramza apologized for his comrade. "I need to know something. Are Rafa and Malak still here?"

Gasps rang out amidst the people standing before the young Beoulve.

"How is it that you know of those names?" The leader asked.

"I know because I once fought alongside them. My name is Ramza Beoulve."

"Ramza Beoulve!" The people all shouted at once.

"Heh, so you ARE still alive." A new voice said, its owner now appearing from behind the others.

"Hello Malak, it's nice to see you again." Ramza greeted warmly.

"Dismissed." The voice of Malak commanded. The people lowered their weapons, and then stood to the side as another of Ramza's old friends made his way forward. It was Malak, the Assassin of Hell, a member of the Kamayari Group.

"Where've you been, Ramza?" Malak questioned. "I thought you died in that explosion."

"No, not me." Ramza said. "I've still much left to do before I'm able to die."

"Hey, we all gotta go when our time's up, you know that." Malak said with a shrug.

"For one such as myself, time is something that has since passed me over." Ramza rebutted.

"Is that right? Well, hearing this from you isn't really all that surprising." Malak said with a grin.

"Have you been well?" Ramza asked, finally changing the subject.

"Not really..." Malak said dejectedly. "It's been a real struggle for us since the end of the Lion War. Just like you, we Kamayari have also been the target of the church. They're trying to eradicate our kind."

"Because of you and Rafa joining me, correct?"

"That's one of the reasons. We don't agree with their idea of God, and refuse to convert our beliefs into something that is in their favor, so for that reason also we are hunted like dogs, day after day. Morale is at an all time low. Many have left the group in fear of the church. What remains is all you see before you."

"Why is it we're not able to rid ourselves of such fanatical tyrants like the Church?" Agrias finally spoke again.

"Lady Agrias." Malak bowed courteously. "I didn't recognize you there for a moment."

"Hello." Agrias huffed, giving a half wave to the Kamayari assassin.

"Haven't changed much, I can see." Malak chortled. "But, Ramza, what brings you all the way out here, shouldn't you be in hiding somewhere?"

"I'll tell you everything, but may we do so somewhere a little more private?"

Malak looked at the few followers who had not yet dispersed, they were still within earshot.

"Of course." Malak consented. "Come with me."

Malak led the two into camp and seated them before the campfire they had built. It was already dusk, and the temperature was beginning to drop. The sun had already began to sink into the horizon. The campfire provided both the needed light and warmth for all those who gathered around it.

"Please excuse me a minute." Malak told Ramza and Agrias as they had just sat down. He then left the area.

"What do you suppose he went to do?" Agrias asked.

"Come on Agrias, don't you trust him?" Ramza whined, noting the tone of paranoia in Agrias' last question.

"Not really, it's hard for me to trust anyone nowadays."

Ramza sighed heavily.

"Except you, of course." Agrias spoke again.

"Yeah, but he fought alongside all of us, shouldn't that be reason enough to trust him?"

"People change with the passing of time, Ramza, as do their ideals."

"Maybe, but I know I can trust him." Ramza huffed.

"Give me some time, once I have become adjusted to being in the presence of him and his people, my opinion may change. Until then, however..."

Agrias lowered her hand onto her sword handle and kept it there.

"That's fine, just don't cause a scene, okay?"

"What was that?" Agrias said threateningly.

"Uh...nevermind..." Ramza trailed off.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Malak was heard again, appearing before the two seated warriors. "Look, sis, he's really here."

"Sis?" Agrias thought to herself. "Ah, yes."

"Hello, Rafa." Ramza said as he stood up to meet the newest guest into the conversation.

"Ramza, it really is you..." Rafa squeaked out from behind her brother Malak.

"What's wrong, Rafa?" Ramza asked.

"She's been quite the recluse since Murond." Malak pointed out. "I can't say it's easy for me to lead the Kamayari either, though."

"So, you two lead the group now?" Poised Agrias.

"That's right." Malak replied. "The older leaders passed away some time ago, and with so many deserters thanks to the Church, no one stepped up to take over. So, I volunteered myself and Rafa for the position. Now the Kamayari is under our command."

"It's reassuring to know they're under the guidance of such a good leader." Ramza said with an approving nod.

"Hah, I think I could take a few pointers from you, Ramza. But, both Rafa and I do whatever we can for our people."

"That's all anyone can do, really." Said Ramza.

"Hmm?" Malak grunted as he felt Rafa tugging on his shirt. "What's up, sis?"

"Uh...um..."

"Spit it out already!" Malak belittled his sister.

"B...be quiet Malak! This is hard!" Rafa shouted back.

"What's hard about it! It's just Ramza and Agrias! You know them! Quit being such a mute and say something!"

Agrias rolled her eyes at the sight of such petty bickering, but for Ramza, it brought back many memories.

"Alma..."

"Huh? What about Alma?" Malak asked, trying drag Rafa over to the two so she could finally make a proper greeting.

"Have a seat." Agrias said. "You're about to learn why Ramza and I are on this journey together."

"Oh, alright." Malak said, letting go of Rafa and sitting down. Rafa, on the other hand, ran back to camp and dove into a tent.

"What was that all about?" Agrias inquired.

"Bah, forget about her. She's become such a hassle ever since we got back from Murond. I don't understand, it's like she lost her warrior's pride in that explosion or something. She doesn't make many of the decisions concerning the Kamayari, usually I have to do it all on my own."

"As their leader, you're expected to be strong." Agrias pointed out to Malak.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know that. But I tell you, it's not easy."

"It never is." Ramza interjected.

"Enough about me and my problems though, what's your reason for being out here in this part of the world?"

"It started almost two months ago..." Ramza began.

It took from dusk to evening, but Ramza, with the help of Agrias, was able to explain the entire situation to Malak. All of the events leading up to their meeting this night, the shadow from the past, the Reverse Trinity, the infection of Agrias, all of it was disclosed in complete detail to the leader of the Kamayari. Needless to say, Malak was floored by such revelations.

"That'd certainly explain your new look, Ramza." Malak said in awe, pointing at Ramza's dark armor and scar on his face.

"It's a poison that is slowly consuming the both of us." Ramza said.

"What a sad fate..." Malak sighed.

"It's not one we just plan to idly submit to." Agrias said with determination. "We're going to cleanse ourselves of such a vile concoction of hatred and deceit."

"One of us will, anyway..." Ramza mumbled lowly.

"You know, I'll help in any way I can." Malak said. "If you need me and Rafa to come with you again..."

"That won't be needed." Agrias cut him off. "You've much more important matters to attend to, like the well being of your group."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." Malak said. "I'm sorry to hear about Alma, she doesn't deserve any of this."

"No, she doesn't." Ramza said through gritted teeth. "It should be me, but it's not..."

"Listen Ramza." Malak started to speak again. "You know we're behind you all the way, we know you can do this."

"Thanks..." Replied a melancholy Ramza.

"Uhm...R...Ramza...?" The timid voice of Rafa was heard again.

"So, finally decided to say hello, eh sis?" Malak said, turning around to meet his sister.

"May...may I speak to you...alone...Ramza?"

"Huh?" Ramza cocked his head in confusion. "What's wrong Rafa?"

"Yes, what is it that is so important that you must only speak to Ramza, and not the rest of us?" Huffed Agrias.

"It's just...something..." Rafa trailed off.

"Hmph." Agrias scoffed.

"Sure, Rafa." Ramza consented, getting to his feet once again. Agrias' jaw dropped in shock.

"I can't believe you're going along with this..." Grumbled the ex-Holy Knight.

"It's alright Agrias, I trust Rafa, just like I trust Malak, and all of his people."

"Whatever you say..." Agrias said, followed by a discontent sigh.

"Hey, give my sister some credit." Malak objected. "She may be a social hermit, but she's not the type to do anything sneaky."

"Thanks...I guess..." Rafa said in almost a whisper.

"Excuse us for a moment." Ramza said with a bow.

"No worries Ramza, I'll keep an eye on your lady friend." Malak grinned widely.

"Oh please, spare me the shenanigans..." Agrias muttered in disgust.

Ramza and Rafa left the area, leaving Malak and Agrias there alone.

"So," Malak tried to strike up another conversation. "Read any good books lately?"

Agrias rubbed her forehead in disdain, then sighed in exasperation.

"Guess not." Malak said to himself.

A few yards outside of the camp, Ramza now stood along with Rafa.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about Rafa?"

"I'm very sorry to hear about Alma..." Rafa said out of nowhere.

"Don't be, this had nothing to do with you, only myself."

"And Agrias too, right?"

"It's only by unfortunate circumstances that she is with me." Ramza said.

"You make it sound as though Agrias is some sort of burden to you, Ramza."

"Quite the opposite, actually, I don't think this journey would be possible if she were not with me."

"..." Rafa said nothing in reply.

"Is something bothering you Rafa? You seem very different since I saw you last."

"You too, Ramza, I just noticed that scar on your face."

"It's one of many I'm afraid, the worst one being on my back."

"...may I see it?" Rafa asked boldly.

"Huh...?"

"The scar on your back, may I look at it?"

"Uh...well..." Ramza trailed off.

"...please...?"

Ramza looked at Rafa, she looked like she was sincere in her request. Not wanting to seem too overly reserved when in the presence of his friends, Ramza ultimately consented.

"Alright, Rafa. But I'll warn you right now, what you're about to see is no ordinary wound."

"Okay..." Rafa said.

Ramza slipped the gauntlets off his hands, then began the slow and arduous process of removing all of his upper body armor.

Meanwhile...

"Wow, I really didn't recognize you guys, has it really been that long?" Malak tried once more to begin another conversation with the stoic soldier before him.

"Not as long as you may think, but alot has happened since Murond." Agrias finally spoke.

Capitalizing on the opportunity to get some sort of reaction from Agrias, Malak started a discussion that, unbeknownst to him, would further strengthen the bonds between Agrias and her traveling companion, Ramza.

"Yeah, you're right. Rafa and I have been on the move for so long, I guess I just lost track of time. But, at least you look to be in good health, Agrias."

"Looks can be deceiving. I can't say I feel as well as I might appear to be." Agrias winced at the thought of the curse running through her veins.

"At least you seem to be better off than Ramza." Malak said.

"I'm sure you too wouldn't feel all too dapper if you had been through the kind of torment he has. Forgive me for sounding rude, but what you and your people have undergone since the Lion War is nothing compared to the amount of angst that Ramza has suffered."

"I guess not..." Malak mumbled to himself.

"Regardless, the situation is clear as day." Agrias said. "Both he and I know what we must do."

"...and you're sure you won't need any sort of help from us?"

"It is a very generous offer Malak, but this is a path that is reserved only for Ramza and myself."

"So, do you know where Alma might be?"

"I do not, but Ramza seems to know exactly where she is."

"He hasn't told you anything?" Malak said in confusion.

"No, not a word, but I know deep down that he would never steer me wrong. It is this kind of unspoken bond that he and I share that allows me to know this without any sort of reassurance on his part."

"You mean, like friendship?"

Agrias shook her head.

"It goes much deeper than that."

"Then..."

"Don't say it." Agrias stopped the Kamayari leader from speaking further.

"I know what you're getting at." Agrias said without hesitation.

"You're not afraid to admit it, are you Agrias?"

"That...that's enough from you, Malak."

"So you are then."

"Enough!" Bellowed Agrias. "Stop poking your nose into affairs that do not concern you!"

"Sorry Agrias, I didn't mean to offend you or anything. However, I will say this."

"Did I not just say to cease and desist?" Agrias challenged, but Malak spoke anyway.

"For Ramza's sake, you shouldn't keep him in the dark, because you know never know what lies in the next bend of the path that you two walk. Take me, for example. We are nomads, always on the move, never staying in one place for very long. I know the dangers of being Kamayari in this day and age, but this is the path I have chosen, just as you have chosen yours alongside Ramza. The point I'm trying to make is this. Every day, I make sure to tell Rafa how much I love her, so that should tomorrow not come, for either me or for her, we are always aware. It shouldn't be any different with you and Ramza. If you do care for Ramza, even if you don't want to admit it to me, or to him, you should still let him know, because tomorrow may be too late."

Agrias bowed her head, taking in all of what Malak had just said.

"Those are pretty deep words for a young man such as yourself. I will think about what you have said. Thank you, Malak."

"Glad to help out an old friend."

Malak looked around, and saw that neither Ramza nor Rafa could be seen.

"Sheesh, what the heck is taking those two so long? This sure isn't like Rafa. Usually she doesn't venture outside of the camp for more than a few minutes. But, I guess with seeing Ramza again, she wants to take her time."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Agrias said with a raised brow.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all, don't mind me, heh." Malak said with an innocent grin.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Agrias got to her feet, then left.

"Oh man, me and my big mouth..." Malak grumbled, slapping himself across the forehead.

Rafa's heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she caught the full view of the mark carved into Ramza's back. The blood around the Reverse Trinity never seemed to dry up, always pulsing with life. The faint hints of black emerged and then resubmerged into the sign.

"This is the punishment for my actions." Ramza said to Rafa, his back still turned to her. "This is what the hatred of those I struck down feels like."

Rafa almost felt her kneels fall out from under her. Seeing her former leader in such a horrendous state was almost too much to bear.

It wasn't a secret among the Kamayari, they knew the kind of repressed feelings Rafa felt for Ramza Beoulve. She, like Agrias, had never once shown any sort of emotion towards Ramza during the Lion War. It was only after Murond, when Ramza was out of the picture, was she able to comprehend how much of an impact he really had on her.

Seeing the cursed mark on Ramza's back made Rafa think back to that horrid day. A day whose memory would remain with her until the day she died. The day her precious innocence was violated by that scoundrel. He enjoyed every minute of ravishing her young body, her shaken composure and mental stability bearing no importance to him whatsoever.

And then, upon meeting him again, this time with Ramza, he revered in the thought of it.

_"Your mind may have forgotten, but your body still remembers the sensation!"_

Those words were etched into her very soul, much like the mark that was burned into the skin of the young man before her.

"Rafa?" Ramza finally turned around when he heard sniffles coming from the Assassin of Heaven.

"Oh, Ramza..." Rafa whimpered.

"What is it...?" Ramza asked in concern.

"That hideous mark..." Rafa choked out.

"Be strong Rafa." Ramza said in a commanding tone of voice. "You need to be strong, for your people, and for your brother. Don't concern yourself with my obstacles, you've got too many to overcome as it is."

"I can't help it, it makes me think of what happened...back when I was little..."

"I see..." Ramza said lowly.

Without any word of warning, Ramza moved closer to Rafa and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're going to be alright." Ramza said confidently. "You and Malak are strong, I know you can get through this. Don't focus on what makes you feel weak, focus on what you know makes you feel strong. That's all I can tell you."

"Thank you..." Rafa choked out through her sniffles.

"Hmm..."

Agrias stepped back from the tent she had been hiding behind. She heard the entire conversation, and saw all of what had transpired. Finding a secluded space with no one else in sight, she took a seat and propped her head on her hands.

"This is so childish of me..." She said angrily to herself.

But it couldn't be helped. The second she saw Ramza reveal the Reverse Trinity to Rafa, Agrias felt somewhat betrayed by Ramza. She felt that after all the two had been through, after all he had said to her, only she had the right to see him in his most vulnerable state.

"Get over yourself, Agrias Oaks, you're better than this..."

Agrias tried her best to quell these feelings of jealousy, but it was nearly impossible to deny them.

"Agrias?" She heard Ramza call out behind her. She spun around and saw him, once again fully covered in his armor.

"Malak said you went off somewhere, so I came to look for you." Ramza said.

"Am I under some sort of curfew?" Agrias said defiantly.

"N...no, but I..."

"It's alright, Ramza, I was only joking."

"Right...right, I knew that..." Ramza said, looking down in embarrassment.

"Sure you did..." Agrias replied sarcastically.

"Malak also said we're welcome to stay here for the night if we wanted. I think it'd be best if we rest since we're in the presence of people we can trust."

"So be it." Agrias agreed.

"I'll see you in the morning." Ramza said.

"Bright and early." Agrias said, to which Ramza nodded. The Beoulve then left the area, leaving Agrias alone once more.

Now, instead of jealousy, Agrias couldn't stop herself from grinning. It was so incredibly easy to make Ramza flustered, but only Agrias seemed to have the power to do so.

"At least I know that's one side of him that I'll be the only one to see..." Agrias thought contentedly to herself.


	15. When Words Fail

Chapter 13: When Words Fail

After yet more relentless traveling down quiet dirt roads, Ramza and Agrias came upon their next checkpoint. It was Fort City of Zaland. Since the end of the Lion War, the title of "Fort City" had become more of a tourist attractor. There were barely any remnants of a military presence, save for a few scant POW camps and execution grounds. Aside from those sad reminders of the war, Zaland had settled down into a mostly normal town.

"What are your thoughts, Ramza?" Agrias poised, stopping about a half mile before the town's entrance, prompting Ramza to do the very same.

"Hmm?" Ramza hummed, looking back to his halted comrade.

"Would it be wise to enter any more towns? After all, we met up with old friends in a remote, barren place like Bariaus, imagine if the same were to happen in a crowded burg such as this one."

"You do make a good point, Agrias." Ramza agreed, rubbing his chin accordingly with his left hand. "But, wouldn't you like to clean yourself? It's been quite a trip so far, and we're both filthy and exhausted."

"A very good counter point." Agrias mused. "I suppose that if we are very discreet, we may be able to go about our business without much hassle."

Unfortunately, Agrias' statement could not be any more false, because as soon as the two were upon the gates of Zaland, they were approached by a pair of soldiers. They looked to be squires or some other ignoble rank. Their armor was dull and plain, their weapons were the most basic standard issue saber.

"Why is it never simple...?" Agrias said, smacking her hand on her forehead. She then approached the two soldiers cautiously.

"You two there." Agrias called out. "What business do you have with us?"

"You mean you don't recognize us?" The first soldier said in shock.

"I can't believe it! It's only been a month! How could you forget us, after all we've done for you!" The second one shrieked.

"...Lavian...? Alicia...?" Ramza said, his jaw dropping in disbelief.

"Thank you!" Alicia beamed happily. "At least someone knows who we are still!"

"It's quite bewildering that it be Ramza, and not Lady Agrias, the one who had led us for so long, isn't it Alicia?" Lavian asked of her partner, to which she nodded in reply.

"Is it really you?" Agrias inquired, giving her former disciples the once over time and again.

"It is, Lady Agrias." Lavian answered.

"What happened to the two of you?" Ramza asked, still a bit off balance due to the two knight's new, or rather, old appearance.

"Due to the circumstances of your escape, Ramza, both Alicia and myself were blamed, as we were the last two to have seen you before you vanished. As such, we were demoted back to privates."

"Unbelievable!" Agrias fumed. "How could Lord Farnei do something so heartless! It's unfathomable!"

"Calm down, Lady Agrias." Alicia said, trying to quiet down her mentor. "It's nothing to worry about, really!"

"I'm sorry..." Ramza said, bowing his head and turning away in shame. "This happened because of me..."

"Don't be sorry, Ramza." Lavian said cheerfully. "Both Alicia and I knew the consequences of our actions, and we still went through with it. And believe me when I say that we have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. Isn't that right, Alicia?"

"Of course." Alicia replied simply.

"But why would you sacrifice your standing for me? Why throw away something you worked your entire lives for so easily?"

"Rank will only take you so far in life, Ramza." Alicia said. "It is true, we had worked tirelessly to attain the title of Holy Knights, but while we still remain loyal to the crown, and to God, we are also still loyal to you."

"Alicia speaks the honest truth, Ramza." Lavian started. "It was you who sacrificed everything dear to you for the sake of the politically corrupt, morally deprived world that we call Ivalice. You could have stopped at any time and tried to fathom what small portion of your life you had left, but you pushed on. How could we, two people who fought by your side for so long, do anything less for such a selfless man?"

Ramza's frown quickly changed into a timid smile.

"Thank you...it makes me feel very honored to have had the both of you alongside me in the Lion War. You have my deepest and utmost gratitude."

"We learned from the best." Alicia said, the two knights shooting a sly look at Agrias. Agrias caught it, and raised her brow accordingly, letting out a small chuckle.

"On to more important matters." Lavian said, turning the light-hearted mood serious once more. "Ramza, Agrias, be advised, there have been search parties dispatched to retrieve the both of you. As far as Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn know, Ramza is still Agrias' kidnapper, and must be brought to justice. After all, you caused quite a commotion amidst the Barracks with your dramatic escape."

"It was a necessary excursion." Ramza said out of nowhere. "Agrias needed to be taken away from the world in which she was forced to be shunned from. Without all the undue stress of being around so many bitter memories, she was able to fight her ailment much better."

"You do indeed look to be in much better spirits, Lady Agrias." Alicia complimented.

"Let's just say that I did not object to that little vacation." Agrias said with a grin.

The four of them shared a small, but very heartwarming laughter.

"Getting back to the matter at hand," Alicia continued on for her partner. "During the meeting in which the search parties were being formed and sent out, we were able to learn of the planned routes in which each party will take. So long as they do not deviate from these said paths, this map we have outlined for you will allow you to continue your journey undetected."

Alicia reached into her pack and pulled out a small peace of parchment. It was a map of Ivalice, with specific towns, roads, and other areas marked on it.

"Giving away military secrets? That's grounds for even further discipline, are you sure you want to take this kind of risk?" Agrias challenged.

"We've since made up our minds, Lady Agrias. What we are doing may be considered treason, but we care not. We'll take our chances. Alicia and I want to help the two of you in any way possible."

Alicia held out the map to Agrias, and Agrias took hold of it, unfolding the parchment so that both she and Ramza could see.

"Damn it..." Ramza said, his eyes stopping on one specific area of the map.

"Is something the matter, Ramza?" Lavian asked innocently. "Are our directions too vague?"

"No, nothing like that." Ramza said with a wave of his hand. "But our destination is currently under investigation, according to your markings."

"And where is that?" Alicia and Lavian both asked, peeking at the map along with Agrias and Ramza.

"Right here." Ramza said, placing his pointer finger on the source of his frustration.

"Riovanes Castle? That is your destination?"

"That's right." Ramza said with a nod.

"Interesting..." Agrias mused quietly to herself.

"But why are you going there, Ramza?" Lavian asked. "There's nothing there anymore. After the massacre caused by the Lucavi, the entire castle was abandoned, and has been that way ever since."

"I hear it's haunted by the vengeful ghosts of those who were killed that day." Alicia piped in. "Wasn't that where you found...?"

"Yes, that's where I found Izlude, Meliadoul's brother, dead on the ground." Ramza answered. "But that's not the reason I'm going there."

"Then what is your reason?" Lavian inquired.

"I too, would like to hear this." Agrias said, attuning her ears so that she could get the full scope of Ramza's intent on going to Riovanes.

"It doesn't surprise me as to why any of you don't know why I want to go there, you did arrive after it happened."

"After what happened?" All three female soldiers asked.

"..." Ramza went silent.

"Ramza?" Lavian asked.

"Let's not dwell on the past if you do not feel it is needed to do so." Agrias interrupted, shooing her former students away from Ramza's vicinity.

"Yes, of course." Lavian cleared her throat. "We may have lost merit, but we still have a fair share of pull amongst the knighthood. We'll try to relay some sort of a change in orders. It may confuse the chain of command long enough so that you may enter Riovanes. How long do you think it will take you to reach Riovanes from here?"

"We're very close now, so I want to pick up our pace as much as possible. So perhaps, maybe another week or so." Ramza said. "Are you okay with that, Agrias?"

"Have I ever objected with it before?" Agrias asked rhetorically.

"So, you'll be leaving then?" Lavian asked.

"Not just yet." Ramza said. "Both Agrias and I are sore and very dirty from so much traveling. We're going to spend the night in Zaland, clean ourselves up, maybe get a hearty meal as opposed to the wild game we've been forced to eat while on the road, and then start fresh in the morning."

"I wouldn't recommend that, Ramza." Said Lavian morbidly.

"And why not?" Agrias asked.

"Does our presence here not tell you something?"

Ramza and Agrias looked at each other, then sighed.

"Just perfect..." Agrias grumbled.

"You should be thankful that we were the ones to come across you, and not any of the other knights posted here. The lord and lady are very much intent on bringing you back to the Barracks."

"It's for your own good, of course." Lavian said after Alicia had finished speaking.

"Of course." Agrias said, rolling her eyes. "Far be it from me to disobey Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn, but I am my own person, and I will do what I want, when I want. I no longer am one of their blades to wield, I am a free spirit, in a sense."

"Free, yet at the same time still bound to me... how ironic..." Ramza trailed off.

"Let's not start that again, shall we?" Agrias said, nudging Ramza with her elbow.

"We'll do whatever we can, Ramza, Agrias. We're both behind you all the way, we know you can accomplish your goal. We believe you will be able to free Alma, as well as yourselves, from this terrible curse that has befallen you."

"However," Lavian added, "We ask that you come back safe and sound, we've much to catch up on, and I am sure you would be welcomed into the protection of the Barracks, after we clear up this whole misunderstanding, that is."

"It shall be done." Agrias replied with a nod.

"I will most definitely inform Alma of such a wonderful proposal, but Riovanes is my last stand. We won't meet again." Ramza said coldly.

"He's only joking, of course." Agrias quickly spoke up, trying to erase the terrified looks off the faces of Lavian and Alicia.

"No, I am not." Ramza said again, bringing his sword from behind his back and wedging it into the ground in front of him. "This is the last time you will see me. So please, the both of you, take care of yourselves, as well as Alma and Agrias, too."

"Ramza..." Agrias whispered.

Lavian and Alicia looked at each other with distraught, then they shifted their blank stares to Agrias, and then finally stopped on Ramza.

"Lady Agrias, may we speak with Ramza in private?" Lavian requested.

"...of course." Agrias said, snapping out of her daze. "Ramza, I will be right outside town. Don't keep me waiting."

Ramza nodded, and then Agrias left town, leaving Ramza there with Lavian and Alicia.

"What is it?" Ramza asked.

"Ramza," Alicia says, "Who is Lady Agrias to you?"

"A trusted ally on the field of battle, and a dear friend whom I can confide in without any fear of persecution or ridicule."

"Is that all?" Alicia said, her shoulders drooping.

"Should there be something more?"

"Agrias isn't with you because she has to be, Ramza, it's because she wants to be."

"I realize that..." Ramza huffed.

"Do you really?" Lavian questioned intently. "After you vanished in Murond, she said nothing, not even to us. She was completely silent a good long while. Agrias was scarred tremendously, maybe more than you know. She was the same on the outside, but inside, she was completely empty, devoid of any sort of emotion."

"Why are you telling me this...?" Ramza said meekly. "I don't need to feel any sort of remorse or guilt right now, not when I'm so close to finally ending it..."

Lavian continued on, despite Ramza's whining.

"There would be nights where we could hear Agrias crying in her room, not just because of her forced resignation from the knighthood, but also...from the loss of the fresh new piece of her life she was never even able to truly comprehend."

"Stop...just stop it...please...don't say any more..."

Alicia shook her head in pity of Ramza, prompting Lavian to pick up where she had left off.

"You may not realize it, or you may and try to deny it, but Agrias is much more than a Holy Knight who fought with you in the Lion War. She is a woman with wants, a woman with needs. She has but one desire from life, and it is not restoration of her title. She only wants that one remaining piece of happiness in her life back. She would risk life and limb, and even turn her back on her own people to retain it. And that one piece of happiness she can call her own...is you, Ramza."

"She deserves so much better than me..." Ramza said through clenched teeth.

"She wants nothing more, and nothing less, Ramza. No one and nothing else will suffice for her."

"I'm sorry, I know that you are thinking only in the best interests of Agrias, but...I cannot involve myself in anyone else's life anymore, look where it got Alma. And slowly but surely, the exact same thing is happening to Agrias."

"You know, just as much as we do, that she would gladly withstand any sort of consequence that came with staying with you, so long as she knew that you were there."

"I..." Ramza stuttered.

"What, pray tell, is preventing you from taking what is rightfully and undoubtedly yours, Ramza? Agrias has saved herself her entire life for the one in which she knew she could place her entire life, body, mind, and soul with. Only you have the privilege of that. You do look at Agrias as a woman, do you not?"

"I must be going..." Ramza said, swinging around and heading for the exit. Lavian shook her head in disdain.

"Don't turn your back on the gift that is right in front of your eyes, Ramza." Alicia called out to Ramza as he slowly walked away from the two. "Agrias would be deeply insulted and hurt to know that, after all this time, she was still nothing more to you than a war comrade. Has she not shown you how devoted she is to you?"

Ramza stopped once more.

"She has, but I don't want her to get too close to me, because she'll just end up miserable and alone..."

"You talk as if some mysterious vortex is going to swallow you forever." Lavian brooded.

"Something like that..." Ramza mumbled.

"And if such an event were to really occur, Agrias would follow right along after. If that isn't devotion, I don't know what is."

Ramza heaved a heavy sigh.

"Don't act so downtrodden, Ramza." Lavian said cheerfully. "Agrias is with you, you'll accomplish your goal."

"It's what lies afterwords that frightens me so..." Ramza said cryptically.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid, even for you Ramza." Alicia said. "Just remember, in times both good and bad, Agrias has remained with you. Never was it for her own gain, only for your well-being. She would sink into the depths of Hell right along with you, and all she asks in return is for you to look at her, not as a soldier, but as a woman."

"I'll do what I feel is best, good bye." Ramza said before starting into his walk once more. Seconds later, he was gone.

"What do you think...?" Lavian said, glancing over at Alicia.

"Only time will tell if our words had any effect. Come Alicia, we must make haste and relay a change of plans to our superiors. Ramza and Lady Agrias are counting on us!"

Lavian bolted into town, followed closely by Alicia.

"Done so soon?" Agrias said, pushing off the tree she was leaning against. "Saying your final farewells?"

"Let's just go..." Ramza muttered, trudging past Agrias.

Agrias walked after Ramza, completely oblivious as to the conversation that had taken place just moments earlier. Riovanes Castle, the beginning of the end, was now closer than ever...


	16. Reflections of Souls

Chapter 14: Reflections of Souls

A week's travel, at best. That is how long it would take for Ramza and Agrias' journey to finally come to a close. Though not together nearly as long as they were during the Lion War, the trials they had endured thus far seemed to make even that prior event in their lives seem minute and easily forgotten. While those days gone by had shaped the course of the rest of their lives, these two unsung heroes now sought to reshape whatever sense of existence they had left. Dependant completely on one another now, Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks lived together, breathed together, fought together, bled together, failed together, and triumphed together.

More than friendship, more than camaraderie, not quite love, but a sort of median. Two exhausted souls, bearing the weight of each other's sins, working as hard as they could to remain in a world that reviled them. Neither had much of anything left to go back to. Living well outside the social and political grid, they were simply two pieces of unwritten history.

Ramza Beoulve, in a sense, a fallen Angel. Long since he had removed himself from God's grace, taking up the sword against His followers, felling them one after another, bathing himself in their blood. Not quite damned, but nowhere near blessed. He discarded any ideas of the almighty, fighting not for Him, but for the people. And his reward for such selfless acts? Betrayal by the very people he sacrificed everything for...

One must ask, how much can one man take?

When are too many lies and so much bloodshed too much for the sanity of one to contain?

Why had madness not yet consumed this young man, and left him writhing in a muddy hole, his mind rapidly decaying as each day passed by?

Perhaps the answer would never truly be known, but Ramza Beoulve still had not succumbed to such vicissitudes. Time and again he was used and then thrown away, but like the immortal Phoenix of legend, he continued to rise up in the face of adversity and hopelessness.

Not truly good, nor truly evil, the soul of Ramza Beoulve was truly in the middle of such notions. An arbiter of darkness, and of light, his soul would sway back and forth between the two sides. At times, he was a true savior, other times, a maniacal despot. The balance of power within this man's stout body continued to interchange, going back and forth like a pendulum.

Clad in dark, steely armor, carrying a weapon capable of felling multiple opponents in one fell swoop, and marked across his entire body with hints of his Reverse Trinity, Ramza blazed a trail once again, not for the people, but, for once, himself.

The woman who traveled at his side, never leaving in any one moment of consciousness, she was able to anchor Ramza's soul for a time, holding him back from drawing on the encroaching darkness that seethed within his soul.

Agrias Oaks, a fading memory of a fading war, a lingering ghost of the past. She too had sacrificed her dedication to God, all for this one man. Caring not if it was blasphemous, or even heretical, Agrias reduced herself to such a meager level without a second thought. It would have been so simple to have just left Ramza there, that fateful day he fell into her arms, the smell of charred skin still fresh in the morning air. She could have easily written him off as a casualty of war, or even a raving lunatic, and gone back to her life.

But what life was left?

Agrias had forfeited everything at the request of those who cared for her, as well as commanded her, to safeguard her own life.

No, deep down, Agrias knew that her chance meeting with her former leader was a calling from the fates. Agrias chose to heed that call.

**Darkened Father...**

_A father's meaningless murder, his tribulations brought forth on the next generation._

**...Corrupted Son...**

_The pinnacle of that generation, tainted by persecution and the inner hatred from within._

**...Unholy Spirit.**

_The relic of the past that continued to remain, never once vanishing into the rifts of time._

"The Reverse Trinity..."

"What was that, Ramza?"

Ramza stopped and surveyed the surrounding area.

"It's nothing..." Ramza mumbled lowly.

The two had just arrived at Zirekile Falls, a deep valley with a large waterfall cascading down into a pool of crisp, clean water. Approaching cautiously, the two found no sign of any Atkascha Knights. The area looked to be completely deserted.

"It seems we're in luck." Agrias said with a sigh of relief, relinquishing her hand from the hilt of her sword. Ramza nodded to her claim, then walked over to the pool.

Setting his sword down next to him, Ramza removed the gauntlets from his hands, then dipped them into the water. Bringing them back up with a quick jerk, Ramza splashed the refreshing liquid onto his face. He flinched when the clean water touched the cursed gash on his cheek, but continued to wash his dirty face. Agrias knelt down next to him and did the same.

"Ah..." Agrias exhaled. "So long it has been since I've been able to feel such clean water upon my skin."

"You should enjoy it while you can." Ramza said forebodingly. "Who knows when you'll be able to sample such purity again?"

"Quite so." Agrias agreed wholeheartedly. "So, if you don't mind, I'd like to relish in it as much as possible before we set out."

"That's fine." Ramza consented, still bathing his muddy hair in the water.

Withdrawing her arms from her coat, Agrias set it on the ground, then began to unbutton her blouse.

"...Do you mind?" Agrias snorted.

"What...?"

Ramza turned to Agrias, and his face lit up a bit.

"Oh, sorry." Ramza stammered, shooting to his feet in a hurry. He scooped up his sword and rested it on his shoulder.

"I'll go gather some firewood, I shouldn't be too long." Ramza said as he began to walk away.

"No peeking now, you rogue. I believe you already got a free glimpse back at the Barracks..." Taunted Agrias, a mile-wide smirk across her face.

Ramza stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh god...you...I mean...that was..."

"I'm waiting..." Agrias said in a huff, her arms at the base of her blouse, about to pull it over her head.

Ramza said nothing as he took off in a hurry, his sword bouncing on his shoulder plates all the while, making a very loud clanking noise. Agrias snickered a bit, then pulled her blouse over her head. She folded it up neatly next to her, then resumed undressing.

When he was sure he was an ample enough distance away so that Agrias could have her privacy, Ramza stopped to catch his breath. While faint, he could feel his heart racing a mile a minute, not from the abrupt jog, but from Agrias' words.

"She saw me..." Ramza said lowly.

But, at the time when it happened, Ramza didn't seem to care. Seeing her bare body soaking in the moonlight, Ramza felt his eyes glued to Agrias, he couldn't turn them away, even if he wanted to, which he didn't.

Agrias was beautiful, whether she knew it or not. While most were turned away by her tacturn gruffness or stoic, silent nature, Ramza was able to see beyond all of that, he could see what kind of woman was underneath that rough image of a loyal knight. In this day, and in this age, perhaps Ramza was the only one left who was capable of doing so. Or maybe he was the only one who could to begin with...

Ramza then thought back to the day he first arrived at the Atkascha Barracks, winding up in none other than Agrias' room, sleeping in her bed. That woman who was sound asleep at his side that waking morning, that flower resting contently in her hair. It was Agrias, no doubt about it. She had shed away her knightly image for one brief moment of time, so brief, Ramza was unable to immediately comprehend who was laying before him, and why she did so.

Every time afterwords, whether in the presence of old friends, or random passerby, Agrias was once again the warrior Ramza knew so very well.

What brought about this one abrupt change?

Surely, it couldn't have been seeing an old comrade laying prostate and unconscious...

There had to be a reason for it...But why?

"Why?" Ramza asked of the empty area around him. "Agrias..."

Ramza turned back and stared blankly. He could see the peak of the waterfall, and knew that, where that very water collected, _she _was within it.

"Damn it, Ramza Beoulve..." The young warrior silently cursed to himself. "Enough of this pointless facade..."

Ramza took a deep breath, steeled his nerves, and then began scouting the area, looking for suitable pieces of brush to use for the fire. His ulterior motive played out repeatedly in his mind, quickening his pace.

Time and again he had played it all off, for some reason or another. But, there was to be no more resistance.

"Agrias..." Ramza whispered to himself as he started back to the camp, a bundle of wood under his left arm, his right clasped around the handle of his sword tightly. He took slow strides, still trying to ready himself for what was about to happen.

Now fully undressed, Agrias stood before the pool. She dipped her foot into the water to test the temperature. It was quite chilly, and sent a shiver up her spine. But, she was filthy, and that took precedence. Stepping into the pool, Agrias stopped when she was knee-deep.

The clear water's surface was like a well polished mirror. Within its purity, Agrias could see her reflection.

She had battle scars from head to toe, scars that would remain with her until the day she died. From small cuts and abrasions across her shoulders, to large gashes across her thighs and arms alike, all of these marks were testaments of her days as a knight. At times, she stood in victory, other times, in defeat, bearing these wounds all the same. These scars were her war trophies, memories, both good and bad, of battles long since over.

Wrapping her arms to cover her breasts, Agrias kicked forward with her left leg, causing the water to ripple, erasing the reflection she saw before her. She scoffed in shame and then dropped herself into the water soon afterward. Agrias threw her hair behind her shoulders and soaked in the water. As she did so, her mind began to wander.

"Such a hideous, grotesque figure..." Agrias muttered disgustedly, shutting her eyes forcefully.

"No one would ever accept such a decrepit figure...no one..."

Taking a deep breath, Agrias pulled her head under the water. As the waves swallowed her up, Agrias found herself surrounding by complete silence. A calm silence, one that she had not heard for a long time.

Opening her eyes while still submerged, Agrias could see the sky admidst the water. It was crystal clear, just the same as the water in which she now lay. It was so peaceful, so soothing. Agrias found herself becoming lost in the moment.

_This tranquil water that envelops me..._

_I don't hear the fires of war..._

_The death cries of the innocent..._

_The prideful boasts of those who slaughtered them..._

_I can't hear any of it..._

_Just the rolling of the waves..._

_Such peacefulness..._

_...I could stay here...forever..._

_Forever...amongst the waves..._

_If I cannot find my place, my place in this life I continue to live..._

_Perhaps I shall...let the waves take me away..._

_...if only..._

_...if only...it were that simple..._

_Once this is over..._

_When all is said and done..._

_Will I still desire to return to these serene waters...? _

_Will I let such innocent forces take me beyond...?_

Agrias continued to daydream, staring up at the sky the entire time. Suddenly, a dark shadow came over her, obstructing her view of that boundless sky. The shadow pulled her out of the water and dragged her onto dry land. Agrias kicked and thrashed as hard as she could, and finally managed to throw the shadow off of her. Darting over to her armor, she flung her sword from its holster and pointed it at her attacker.

"Wh...what...?"

_He_ was laying there, a small pile of wood in a cluttered mess a few feet away from him.

"...Ramza...?"

Ramza was laying on his stomach, covering his face with his hands and arms.

"I'm so sorry, Ramza!" Exclaimed Agrias. "I didn't mean to...!"

Ramza said nothing, he only shook his head.

"Ramza..." Agrias called out once more. Setting her sword down, Agrias threw the cape Ramza had given her across her body, then knelt down next to him.

"Are...are you crying...?"

Agrias placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he quickly pulled away, still not speaking a word to her.

"What is the matter, Ramza?" Agrias said, scooting closer to Ramza. "Please, look at me."

Ramza stayed curled up protectively for a few moments, then finally sat up. He rubbed his eyes in embarrassment, then looked away from Agrias.

"Ashamed of your tears?" Agrias said, looking at Ramza concernedly.

"No..." Ramza whispered.

"There's nothing wrong with shedding tears, Ramza. Even as warriors, we are still human beings. We have emotions, just like anyone else. We can cry just like anyone else. There's no written law saying that we cannot."

"It's not that..."

"Then what?"

"It's nothing, forget it..."

"It's not nothing." Agrias countered. "Please, speak your mind, I will listen, just as I always have before."

"Agrias, I thought..."

"Yes?"

Ramza scoffed, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"Damn it, this is so stupid of me..."

Ramza just sat there, muttering to himself the entire time.

"What's this all about?" Agrias inquired once more, and again she got no form of a reply. Tying parts of the cape together so that it would not come loose, Agrias took a seat next to Ramza.

"Well then, I'm not moving until you tell me what's on your mind." Agrias declared, crossing her arms just as Ramza had. Ramza shook his head and let out a long sigh.

"This is going to sound really ridiculous..." Ramza warned.

"Try me." Rebutted Agrias. "I've heard some truly ludicrous stories in my lifetime, I'm sure I can handle this."

"...I thought you were dead, Agrias..."

Agrias' confidence faded away in the blink of an eye when Ramza spoke those words.

"Dead...?"

Agrias thought for a moment, shooting a nervous glance at the pool she was moments before completely submerged in.

"Ah, yes, that..." Agrias said nervously.

"When I didn't see you...I panicked..."

"That's alright, I was merely lost in the moment, nothing more."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, and don't worry. I'm not going to die anytime soon, I can assure you that, here and now."

"You're right..."

Agrias looked over at the firewood Ramza had gathered.

"Quite impressive for such a small frame of time." Said Agrias approvingly. Getting to her feet, Agrias assembled the wood accordingly, then used two pieces of rocks from the shoreline to start the fire. Before long, it was blazing brightly, providing comforting light and warmth.

The dusk evening soon turned to night, and the two were now, once again, underneath a vast ocean of stars in the sky.

"There we are." Agrias said contently, tying her lace around her braided hair, then letting it rest on her left shoulder. Straightening parts of her armor, Agrias looked herself over and nodded contently.

"My, that bath was quite refreshing."

She looked at Ramza, who was still silent.

"Did you want to bathe too, Ramza? I'll grant you privacy if so."

Ramza shook his head.

"Very well then."

"Agrias, can I ask you something...?" The ex-Holy Knight heard her comrade squeak out.

"Of course, Ramza, anything."

Ramza cleared his throat gruffly, clenching his hands together tightly the entire time. He turned away from Agrias and began to speak.

"Is...is there anyone...in your life?"

"Of course there is, Ramza." Agrias answered proudly. "Aside from you, there's Lord Farnei, Lady Rosealynn, and all of the knights at the Barracks. Let's also not forget Orlandu, Meliadoul, Mustadio, and all of our other comrades from the Lion War. They're all a part of my life. While I may not openly show appreciation for their cares and concerns, I am very grateful to have been able to meet all of them and know them."

"That's...not exactly...what I meant..."

"Oh? Then what did you mean?" Agrias said, raising a brow at Ramza.

"I mean...is there...anyone..."

Ramza flipped around as he sat there, his back now facing Agrias.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at this..."

"Hmm..." Agrias thought to herself. She was almost certain of what Ramza was implying, and decided to try and coax him into speaking further as best as she could. She thought about her words as hard as she could, trying not to muddle them and ruin her one chance to finally get this subject into the open.

"Ramza, a woman is very sensitive about this sort of matter. If you want to discuss this any further, I would appreciate it if you talked to me face-to-face."

Ramza nodded again, then flipped around.

"I'm sorry..." Ramza apologized once more. "Being a soldier...never really left much time for relationships..."

Agrias grinned widely.

It was now happening.

What Agrias had been praying and hoping for, from the first day she saw Ramza in the fields, was finally coming to pass. Time and again, she had showcased her heart and soul, her true feelings, for this young knight before her, but he would always turn away. Now it was he who wanted to initiate the conversation, proving to Agrias that the time was right to once again show to Ramza what she knew deep down in her heart.

"But...I have to ask again..." Ramza's words interrupted Agrias' quiet rejoicing. "Why...why would you want to risk your heart on someone like me?"

Agrias sighed, throwing her braided hair behind her, it fell loosely across her back.

"Do you view yourself as a tragic person, Ramza?" Agrias spoke once again.

Believing she was trying to change the subject, Ramza shrugged his shoulders.

"Not so much tragic as I am fated, I suppose."

"Fated by someone else's twisted desires and wishes..." Agrias muttered.

"I won't argue against that."

"Because you can't?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Agrias."

Agrias' face curled up into a sneer.

"It just makes me so furious...that you, of all people, must endure this kind of hellish life. Those ungrateful heathens, the public masses whom you fought for, bled for, and in a sense, died for, they still detest you."

"It's pointless to think about that any more, Agrias." Ramza commented. "What's done is done. If they still hate me, then so be it, that is no longer my concern. I'll remain an enemy of God and His people until my forthcoming death."

"No!" Agrias screamed at the top of her lungs. "I've told you before, I'm not going to let you just die, even if you complete your task!"

"And as I've told _you_ before, this is a matter in which you have no say, Agrias..." Rebutted Ramza harshly.

"The curse that flows through my body argues otherwise..." Challenged Agrias.

"Whether you want to believe it or not, it is but a temporary poison for you. Once my task is complete, I will relinquish every bit of physical influence I have over your being."

"And if I refuse?" Agrias said boldly.

"...What?"

"What you say will not be nearly as easy as you make it sound. Perhaps I will just flat out refuse, you never know."

"Agrias..." Ramza mumbled in shock. "Why would you want to remain under such a horrid condition?"

"Must you even ask such a redundant question?" Agrias said.

"...I can't, Agrias. I cannot subject you to that kind of torment. Even if you say you know what it's like, you really don't. Words only go so far, you could never understand how much pain I'm in right now. I don't think anyone could..."

"...but was this not an even deal?" Agrias inquired out of nowhere.

"An...even deal...?"

"I was certain it was..." Agrias said lowly, her eyes becoming a bit misty. "After all, my body belongs only to you..."

"Agrias..."

Agrias practically collapsed into Ramza's open lap, facing down. Ramza could see tears coming from her eyes, sliding down his cold, steely armor. Without thinking, Ramza coiled one arm around Agrias' waist and pulled her upward. He rested her head against his shoulder. Now he could hear her low sniffles.

"Please, don't cry, Agrias, it's not like you at all..."

"Ramza Beoulve...why are you so naive?" Agrias asked through her weeping. "Why is it you remain blind to what you have right in front of you...? Have I not shown you enough of just how devoted to you I am...?"

Ramza said nothing as he let go of Agrias and gently pushed her away. He got to his feet and crossed his arms.

"So...you really are oblivious..." Said Agrias as she wiped her eyes.

"No, you're wrong. I know exactly how you feel about me." Ramza declared. "And...in some other life, some other time...I could have maybe returned those feelings. But my final days draw near, and to subject you to such cruelty, to put your heart through the ache of such loss, after all that has happened to you, is not something I can bring myself to do. I'm sorry, Agrias, I very truly am sorry. I know that you love me, I've known since the day I saw you in the Barracks..."

"You...you know...?"

"I do, you showed to me a side of the woman I thought I had completely figured out. A gentler, softer side. To be quite honest, I was smitten that very morning..."

Ramza brought his hands to his sides and clenched them into tight fists.

"But, I just...can't love you back...I'm sorry...you would only get heartbreak and misery from loving a cursed man like myself..."

"So...you'll never embrace another...? You're truly set on withering away and perishing in meaningless obscurity...?"

"That is the life I am fated to live..."

"No." Agrias adamantly refused. She got to her feet in a hurry. "I will not accept that, Ramza Beoulve. You say you know how devoted to you I am, but I don't believe that. If my words cannot show you, then perhaps my body can."

Ramza turned to Agrias.

"Agrias, what are you...?"

"Give me your hand, Ramza."

Ramza hesitated for a few moments, but ultimately obeyed. He held out his hand nervously. Agrias slowly, but tenderly, removed the steel gauntlet covering it, then placed it on her chest.

"My heartbeat..." Agrias whispered.

"I can feel it..."

"Tell me, Ramza Beoulve, what does it say to you...?"

Ramza stared at Agrias for what seemed like an eternity, listening to the unspoken words her heart was saying to him.

"Now...you truly know what you have before you, Ramza. It is your decision if you want it or not."

"I...I...I...do...want it..."

As if he had no control over his own body, Ramza's hands moved swiftly from Agrias' chest to the buckles holding her chestplate on her body. Seconds later, the armor was laying on the ground at her feet.

"Take what belongs only to you, Ramza Beoulve..." Agrias whispered into Ramza's ear.

Now, all of Agrias' upper armor and clothing had been removed. Agrias looked down at the scars all across her chest and frowned.

"My body..." Agrias began to speak.

"It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in all of my life..." Ramza answered for her.

Agrias' whole body trembled in pure anticipation at those words. Ramza's hands glided across her frame with ease, unfastening her remaining armor and clothing. Now, she stood before him, completely nude. That heavenly figure from that night in the barracks, once again bathed in the moon's haunting glow, had come before Ramza. Her sultry curves, her supple skin, all of was for Ramza, and for Ramza only.

Agrias took a seat on the ground, shivering in excitement all the while. Ramza threw his chestplate to the ground beside him, the cursed scars covering his body pulsing rapidly. Ramza took a seat next to Agrias and traced his bare hands along her entire body.

"I have saved myself for this very day, Ramza Beoulve. I give my body, heart, and soul, only to you."

"I will cherish it, of this, I promise." Ramza said as he planted a soft kiss on Agrias' neck.

_**Within the quiet confines of Zirekile Falls, on this very night, two souls became one...**_


	17. A Demon, a Savior, a Promise

Chapter 15: A Demon, a Savior, a Promise

The morning sun peeked over Zirekile's mighty stone spire, illuminating the gathering pool at its base. At the far left of the pool, nestled covertly adjacent to the waterfall, a spent campfire spot lay. Burnt husks of firewood still remained in the enclosed stone circle, scant puffs of smoke still escaping the charred pieces. Next to the extinguished source of warmth and light was a dark, satin cape. The two people that were underneath the veil remained locked in each other's arms, holding one another tightly.

Ramza gently traced his hands down Agrias' shoulder. Agrias was sound asleep, but the young Beoulve had been awake since just before the break of dawn, his mind racked with all sorts of different thoughts.

This young woman that lay with him, the former Holy Knight, Agrias Oaks, she had withheld her innocence for such a very long time, saving it for the one single man she deemed worthy of taking it. That man was Ramza Beoulve.

For Agrias to retain such a precious part of her existence for Ramza, this proved to him that she was now indeed capable of learning the whole story. Far too long had Ramza only revealed bits and pieces of reason for their journey. But, secretive as he were, Agrias stuck by his side regardless.

In body, mind, and spirit alike, Agrias was devoted to Ramza. And for that, Ramza silently thanked the heavens that had forsaken him that fateful day he became the unsung hero of Ivalice.

_If there was pain, she would share in it._

_If there was sorrow, she would take it unto herself._

_If there was hardship, she was at his side._

_Agrias, like Alma before her, was Ramza Beoulve's guardian angel._

She looked so peaceful right now. With Ramza's other arm locked tightly across her naked body, Agrias slept so soundly. Not since their first reunion in the Barracks had Agrias looked so serene.

"Mmmm..." Agrias mumbled under her breath as her eyes opened once more.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Ramza asked timidly, withdrawing his other hand from Agrias' shoulder.

"So it wasn't a dream after all..." Agrias mused with a content sigh.

"Agrias?"

Agrias sat up, Ramza's arm still coiled around her waist. She put both her hands on Ramza's face and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Ramza Beoulve, I love you more than you could possibly imagine." Agrias said out of nowhere.

"And I you, Agrias Oaks." Ramza answered without any sort of hesitation or reluctance that had many a time previously ruined such a tender moment. "If there truly is redemption for me beyond this journey, I vow to you now that I will seek it. No longer will I choose to simply forfeit my life once my task is complete. You have shown me that, even with all of those out there who detest me, there are still people like you, who will look at me, not as a heretic monster, not even as a savior, but as a human being."

"Ramza, then you'll...?" Agrias started to say, but was too choked up to hear such glorious words.

"I promised my life to you Agrias, and I meant what I said. If you choose to remain with me after we are finished with this journey, then I will not object. And just as I promise this, I also promise you I will fight this encroaching darkness off with all of my power. I will not let it consume me any further. I will find Alma, I will destroy the darkness, both the haunting figure and that inside me, and then Alma, you, and I will live the rest of our lives to the best of our ability. We may not be rich, we may not be celebrated, but we will be together, and we will be happy."

Agrias was taken aback by Ramza's completely new outlook on his destiny. She wiped a stray tear of joy from the corner of her left eye, then hugged onto Ramza's muscular chest as tightly as she could. Ramza returned the embrace accordingly.

"I saw it..." Agrias whispered into Ramza's ear. Ramza knew exactly what Ramza was referring to, and this only caused him to rest his head on her waiting shoulder.

"The demon that lies dormant within you, I finally understand what you were talking about." Revealed Agrias. "Last night, when we were one, it showed its true form before my very eyes."

"I see..." Ramza muttered grimly. "Agrias, I feel it's only right that you now understand the full extent of our journey together."

"Please, speak your mind, Ramza." Agrias replied, scooting away from Ramza.

Ramza dressed himself in his armor from the waist down, then walked over to the lake. He splashed some water into his face, washing away the morning grogginess. He turned around and saw Agrias still sitting there, covered by nothing but Ramza's cape. He began to feel his mouth begin to droop.

"It's quite rude to stare, you know..." Agrias said with a mischievous smile.

Agrias glided her hand all over her body, seductively.

"You're terrible, Agrias." Ramza replied with a sly grin of his own.

The two shared a quiet laugh. Ramza then took a seat next to Agrias, turning his back, with the Reverse Trinity showing forth in all its gruesome entirety. Agrias perched herself on Ramza's back playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck. She planted a kiss on his neck, then withdrew herself once more.

"Alright, enough of this." Agrias announced, trying to change her tone of voice back to her usual stoic level. "We can't sit around here and frolic like two carefree streakers. While it's quite refreshing, albeit risque, we've got more important matters at hand."

"You're quite right." Ramza nodded to her. "Now, brace yourself Agrias, this is going to be a long story."

_**The whole story of the Reverse Trinity and the Fallen Angel Ramza Beoulve would now be told, a complicated and heart wrenching story reserved only for the Fallen Angel's guardian...**_

"You remember the events of our assault on Riovanes Castle, correct?" Ramza questioned.

"Of course. As I recall, you charged into the fray first, ordering the rest of us to remain behind. By the time we arrived, that hideous Lucavi servant, Vellius, had just made his entrance. It was a truly horrendous battle." Agrias said.

"That's right. But what you don't know about Vellius is the entire reason we're here now."

"This should be quite interesting..." Agrias mumbled while rebraiding her hair. She listened with a devoted ear as Ramza began to speak once again.

"Did I ever tell you who Vellius had taken over?"

"You may have once or twice, but I can't remember it if you did. Queklain had usurped Cardinal Draclau, Hashmalum had overtaken Vormav, and...I can't seem to recall the rest, most notably Vellius."

"Vellius had stolen the physical form of a man named Wiegraf Folles."

"Wiegraf Folles?" Agrias said with a curious tone. "Wasn't he the leader of the Death Corps?"

"That's right. The Death Corps, the anti-aristocratic force out to kill all sorts of nobles, myself included. Many a time I had crossed swords with him, every time I emerged the victor. Whether the two of us knew it or not at the time, I was always the more competent swordsman. It wasn't until our duel at Orbonne did he truly prove to be a formidable foe."

"Oh?"

"You see, Wiegraf was a very simple man, with very simple ideals. He wanted the destruction of the noble class, nothing more. At least, that's what his initial goals were."

"So, what made him broaden his views, so to speak?"

"...it was his sister."

"His sister? Miluda Folles?"

"That's correct." Ramza said.

"I faintly remember you mentioning her once or twice. Was she that important to him?"

"She was, Agrias. Very much in the same way Alma is to me. She was, as far as I could tell, his last remaining blood relative. He held Miluda very dear to him, before Vellius conquered his body and mind, that is."

"You were the one who killed Miluda, isn't that right?"

"Yes." Ramza said with a nod. "It was at Lenalia Plateau. I'll never forget that day as long as I live."

"So, you think it was you killing Miluda that has made Wiegraf into the vengeful phantom he has become?" Agrias questioned.

"He's much more than a phantom, Agrias. Somehow, some way, he's able to manipulate objects on our plane of existence. He's a living entity, but at the same time, a ghost that cannot be killed."

"You think it's because of the Lucavi that once inhabited him?"

"It's possible, but I'm not entirely sure. Those stones are truly frightening objects."

"Quite so." Agrias agreed wholeheartedly. "They seem to contain infinite power that can be drawn upon, even in death."

"And that's what's so confusing." Ramza interjected. "Even the Lucavi succumbed after their physical incarnations were struck down, but yet, this phantom, as you called it, remains."

"Perhaps his desire for revenge is what continues to drive him. After all, your desire to save Alma is what started you on this quest."

"Delita, Wiegraf, and myself all share one common trait. That trait is our sisters, in blood, and in name. When Wiegraf lost Miluda, he went insane with rage, and sold his soul to the Lucavi to kill me. Delita, after losing Teta, enveloped himself in lies and secrecy, and rose to the position of King, but yet, even he fell. It makes me wonder, if I were to lose Alma completely, would the same thing happen to me?"

"At one time, I might have had a grim answer to that question." Agrias poised. "But now, it's different. Believe me when I say I will do whatever I can to help you save Alma. However, if such a sad, similar fate were to befall your sister, perish the thought, I will be at your side still. I will be the savior of your soul, just as you were the savior of our land."

"Thank you, Agrias..." Ramza whispered happily.

"So, Riovanes, where you laid Vellius, and Wiegraf, to rest once and for all..." Agrias said.

"Yes, that is where I believe Alma is being kept. Our journey is nearly complete. Whether she's alive or dead, that's where he wants me to meet him, I'm sure of it. I don't know what we will face. It could be a shadow of his human form, of Vellius, or even something completely different. One thing we must remember is to not underestimate him. His desire to drag me down to the most miserable levels has brought him this far, no one knows what lengths he will go to to fulfill that goal."

"There's one assuring thought to be mentioned." Agrias said.

"And what might that be?"

Agrias wrapped the cape around her body and made her way over to her armor, then began to slip back into it.

"If he wants you to suffer as he has, then I'm almost certain that Alma is still alive. He would save the killing grace for when you're able to see it for yourself. So, there's still time for us to save Alma."

"That's quite possible." Ramza said as he scooped up the silver chainmail used to cover his chest. He wrapped himself in the protective metal screen, then reached for his outer plate armor.

"Riovanes Castle. What was once going to be my last stand, will now be the beginning of a new chapter in my life." Ramza said.

"Mine and Alma's as well." Agrias chimed in. "I know that we'll never be able to live a normal life thanks to the Church, and I have no regrets, I only hope that, somewhere down the road, we're able to meet up with all of those we fought with during the Lion War. If just for a brief moment, I would like to see their faces, to relish in our memories, trials, and tribulations of the past."

"I certainly won't object to that." Ramza said happily. "With you by our side, Alma and I would feel much safer in visiting our long lost comrades."

"That makes three of us." Agrias nodded.

Ramza stamped out the rest of the fire with his armored foot, then drenched the ashes with water. He then scattered the stones used to contain the fire about the area, effectively covering their tracks. Moving to his sword, which was wedged into the ground next to Agrias', he brought it to his back.

"Soon, my dear sister, I'll come for you." Ramza said as he looked at the cold steel blade reflecting off the water's surface. "And then..."

He looked over to Agrias, who was just finishing strapping her armor to her body. As she made her way over to reclaim her weapon, Ramza's mind began to wander...

_"This time together with Agrias..._

_It has helped me grow in so many ways..._

_I now feel much stronger, more complete._

_I know the darkness within my soul still remains, just waiting..._

_But it's easier to suppress it now..._

_It's easier to forget all the pain and misery..._

_Agrias has done so much for me._

_She has devoted herself to me, completely._

_Mind, body, soul._

_I know she would never betray me._

_She's shouldered a burden I once thought only I had the conviction to bear._

_I pity the sad fates of both Wiegraf and Delita, but at the same time, I vow to never let what happened to them happen to me._

_Teta...Miluda..._

_I know you loved your brothers very much, and while they may or may not have openly returned those feelings, I'm certain they felt the same way about you._

_Teta, you only wanted to be at Delita's side, and this cost you your life, and in turn, his. But I'm sure that you two were finally reunited..._

_Miluda, you followed your brother's wishes to the very end, and he's grateful, and fighting to uphold that gratitude._

_I know I can never ask for the forgiveness of either of you. I was so immature then, I could never fully contemplate my actions and their repercussions._

_But I'm different now. _

_Delita, and Teta, someday I will meet you again. But...not yet._

_Miluda, I will end your brother's suffering once and for all._

_I will try to make right all of the wrongs I have committed._

_Of this, I promise."_

Ramza and Agrias left Zirekile moments later, hand in hand.

_"Wait for me, Alma..."_


	18. Amidst the Hellfire

Chapter 16: Amidst the Hellfire

Cutting a swift, direct path through the Araguay Woods, the duo of Ramza Beoulve and Agrias Oaks came even closer to their destination of Riovanes. Using their combined knowledge of the lay of the land, they were able to establish the least time consuming path to the castle, hoping to stay within their quota of one week. Of course, their hopes were pinned on Lavian and Alicia. If they were not able to draw the knights from the Atkascha barracks away from Riovanes, they would expend further time trying to enter undetected, in turn making the hope of saving Alma even more dire.

Dorter Trade City was their last spot of civilization between Riovanes, only the Zeklaus Desert and Bervenia Volcano, natural features of Ivalice, standing before them after that. While Agrias was against the idea of entering Dorter, Ramza insisted. It seemed as though he had some sort of objective for entering the city. She didn't agree with his notion, but ultimately obeyed, and the two soon found themselves in a secluded house located deep within the slums. They took the utmost care to remain undetected, and their efforts paid off. No one even paid them a second glance. Ramza shut the decrepit door behind him, the splintered piece of wood nearly falling off its rusty hinges in the process.

The house itself was abandoned. It was a run down shack, unfit for living by even the most desperate peasant. However, Ramza picked this one place out willingly. He shuttered the windows with the tattered and torn curtains, then pressed his back against the wall near the door, holding his sword close to him.

Agrias, meanwhile, at Ramza's bidding, positioned herself in a corner of the room. She was cloaked within his black silk cape, and the shadows of the unlit abode further enhanced her camouflage. She too was in a defensive position, waiting for what seemed to be an eternity.

"Ramza..." Agrias whispered from her hiding place. Ramza didn't move a muscle.

The two remained deathly still for a good long while, the outside noise of the bustling trading hub sifting in through the cracked glass of the windows.

Suddenly, the sound of the worn door creaking open was heard. A figure, body and face masked by a cloak of their own, cautiously made their way inside. The second the door shut behind them, they felt the point of a large steel blade pressed against their back. The figure raised their hands accordingly in surrender.

"Identify yourself." Ramza's commanding voice chimed in, breaking the eerie silence.

"He who overthrew the Blood Angel, places faith in those who remain at his side." The figure said cryptically.

Clearly Agrias had no idea what the stranger was referring to, and was about to join Ramza's interrogation. But, Ramza breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered his weapon away from the figure's back.

"Thank you for coming." Ramza said happily. "You can come out now, Agrias."

Agrias withdrew herself from the shadows, her hand still placed on the hilt of her sword. It was still sheathed, but Agrias was ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

"Was all of this really necessary?" The mysterious stranger said in a huff.

"I'm afraid so." Ramza answered. "But you understand, right?"

"Naturally." Said the stranger. "You've become quite the careful lad since we last met."

Moving their hands to the hood of their cloak, the stranger withdrew it from their face.

"It's you...!" Agrias exclaimed.

"I have a name, you know." Said the figure.

"Thunder God Cid!" Agrias shrieked.

"Please, no grand titles, Lady Agrias. My name is Cidalfus Orlandu, or just Cid, if you would."

It was indeed the mighty Holy Swordsman, yet another of Ramza and Agrias' allies from the days of the Lion War.

"Were you followed?" Ramza inquired.

"Come now, lad." Cid reprimanded Ramza. "I'm well educated in the ways of war, and the underhanded tactics that go along with it. No one followed me, you can be sure of it."

"That's good." Ramza said contently.

Ramza guided Cid away from the door and into the empty living quarters of the shack. There were no windows in this room, making it easier for the three to converse safely.

Ramza leaned his sword against a corner of the room, then moved over to Agrias. He took hold of her free hand and guided her over to Cid, who was smiling warmly at the former Holy Knight.

"Lady Agrias, it's good to see you in such conditions." Cid said. "I was a might worried about you for a long while, but I see you've recovered nicely."

"Pardon?" Agrias said in confusion.

"You mean, you never told her, Ramza?" Cid questioned, looking over curiously at Ramza.

"It must have slipped my mind." Ramza said bashfully.

"Ah, youth, so forgetful." Cid mused.

"Would one of you please explain what is going on?" Agrias asked curtly.

"Ramza told you the reason he's journeying, I hope..." Cid whispered to Agrias, to which she nodded.

"Very well then, what part did you not tell her, Ramza?"

"It was the time between when I left her in Goug with Mustadio and Besrodio, and when I returned." Ramza answered.

"Ah, yes." Cid said with an acknowledging shrug. "Lady Agrias, I'm sure you remember how Ramza looked like when he took you from the Barracks, correct?"

"Yes." Agrias said, remembering that prior to his return to Goug, Ramza was completely unarmed and unarmored.

"I chanced to come across the boy as he wandered the streets of the city. At first, I didn't recognize him, but he most certainly recognized me."

"And?" Agrias said, clutching onto Ramza's hand tighter.

"The poor lad was a mess. Horrible scars laced all over his body, what clothing he had was matted with dirt, sweat, and blood. He was pacing outside young Mustadio's house, so lost in thought he didn't initially notice me. But once we were reintroduced, he filled me in on all the details of your travels together up to that point."

"Go on." Agrias said.

"Ramza begged me to help him regain his edge with the sword. Clearly, being dormant for so long had made him terribly out of practice. I took his request, and we left Goug, but not before he attained suitable armor."

"And that armor...?" Agrias mentioned, nudging up against the dark steel finish of Ramza's chest plate.

"The armor itself is made of the ancient metal Damascus. Like the two of you, as well as all our other allies, I was obligated to remain in the shadows of the world, so that the Church would not learn that I too, survived. It's quite humorous when I think about it, though." Cid said with a chuckle.

"How so?" Ramza asked.

"You don't remember that Delita staged my death so that I might ally with you? Maybe I never told you about it...it's been a while, my memory just isn't what it used to be."

"I surely hope your swordsmanship has endured..." Agrias muttered. Cid's face turned sour at that remark.

"Be fair, Lady Agrias, I've been in this world much longer than you. So many years can take a toll on a person's body as well as his mind."

"So, you weren't able to teach Ramza?"

"We'll get to that." Cid said, cutting Agrias off. "As I said, the armor is made of Damascus. The chainmail underneath it is made of Mythril. Both of which are rare, expensive metals that aren't easy to come by. However, they offer the best possible amount of protection for our young Ramza here."

Ramza nodded in reply.

"As fate would have it, my many journeys after Murond allowed me to come across trace amounts of these materials. With Ramza's aide, we brought suitable amounts of it back to Goug so that the armor could be forged. It took quite a bit of doing to convince the smiths here to take the job, even more overlooking so that the armor was made correctly. After all, Goug isn't famous for its armor, as we all know, only for its guns."

"Of course." Agrias said. "But this still doesn't explain why Ramza left me in Goug for an entire month. Please pardon my rudeness, but would you get to the point? We don't have spare time for idle chatter."

"As frank as ever, I see, Lady Agrias." Cid grinned widely.

"After my armor was forged, Cid helped me with my swordsmanship. There was no way I could watch over you and train at the same time, which is why I left you in Mustadio's care." Ramza continued for his elder comrade.

"You were able to regain your edge in such a short while?" Agrias questioned.

"The lad always has always had the warrior's spirit within him, Lady Agrias. I only helped bring it back out and temper it as much as I could, much the same as his armor was crafted and tempered to near perfection." Cid answered.

"And what about your weapon?" Agrias asked, pointing to the enormous greatsword leaning in the corner of the room.

"That was young Ramza's idea. I'm sure the weapon has proved its worth from the time I last saw you two."

"Only once, thankfully." Agrias said with a sigh of relief. "We've been able to avoid any sort of outward conflict that would've required the two of us to resort to such measures."

"Good to hear." Cid replied. "Now then, Ramza, about the reason you asked me to come here..."

"Wait, what?" Agrias interjected. "You _asked_ Cid to come here, Ramza?"

"I did." Ramza answered. "I asked Cid to meet the two of us here before I went to retrieve you from Goug."

"For what reason, might I ask?" Agrias inquired curiously.

"At first, it was merely to check up on us before we reached the final days of our travel. If necessary, he would have accompanied us to Riovanes, but now, I must ask a different favor of you, Cid." Ramza said.

"Speak it, young Ramza." The master swordsman replied. "I'll help in whatever way necessary."

"I need you to scout Riovanes ahead of us. According to intel from Lavian and Alicia, the Barracks have posted troops there as part of their search party to retrieve Agrias and myself. They told us they would try to deter them away, but should this not be the case, I would like you to create some sort of diversion to draw them away, but remember, don't let yourself be discovered. The commotion could cause your survival to be leaked to the church somehow, putting you in grave danger."

"It shall be done." Cid replied dutifully.

"I realize I may be asking alot from you." Ramza said sheepishly.

"Not at all. I told you I want to help in any way I can. While I think it'd be much simpler for me to simply travel with the two of you, I respect your wishes to remain only with Agrias at your side."

"Thank you." Agrias and Ramza said together.

"Very well then, I shall make haste to Riovanes. Hopefully it will be abandoned as Lavian and Alicia had said. If not, I'll figure out some way to get their attention, and then that will be your chance to enter."

Cid recloaked his face, then made his way for the exit. As he did so, he took a final glance back at the two. Agrias was still holding onto Ramza's hand.

"May both of you find your way, I pray that we meet again someday soon." Cid said warmly.

"We will." Ramza replied heartily. "You can be sure of that."

"My my, your attitude has changed completely, young Ramza." Cid noted. "Well done, Lady Agrias."

Agrias nodded happily to the elder swordsman, and then he was gone.

"So..." Agrias began to speak. She moved away from Ramza and went over to his sword.

"What is it, Agrias?" Ramza questioned.

"Our journey is nearly complete, soon, we can put all of this madness behind us."

"Yes, let's go, Agrias. Alma's waiting for us."

Agrias brought Ramza's weapon over to him, then covered her face with the cape. Ramza took hold of his blade, and then the two left the shack, discreetly making their way out of Dorter.

Making a quick trek through Zeklaus Desert, the two were now practically on Riovanes' door. All that was left was the treacherous volcanic canyon of Bervenia. As the two entered the canyon, they took the utmost care to watch every step they took, for one false move would send them into the molten lava below. Ramza held onto Agrias' hand the entire way, guiding her to the safest and most sturdy route.

Passing the volcanic cone where lava continued to spurt out, the two then made their way down the mountain. With Bervenia's fiery spout now behind them, it was only a short distance to Riovanes. Ramza and Agrias bid a farewell to the final natural barrier in between them and their destination, then began the final trek.

_However..._

"Hmm...?" Ramza mumbled to himself. He stopped walking, then took a glance back at Bervenia.

"What's wrong, Ramza?" Agrias asked worriedly.

"I thought I heard something..."

_**Uneasiness...**_

"What was that?!" Agrias bellowed, looking all around the area.

"You can hear it too, Agrias?" Ramza said bewilderedly.

_**The corrupted warrior...**_

Ramza withdrew the sword from his back and readied for a strike...

_**God's will, the Devil's will, it makes no difference...**_

Agrias, too, drew her weapon and stuck close to Ramza...

_**You will not escape my carefully laid plans...**_

_**Your redemption is false...**_

_**You will writhe...**_

_**You will suffer...**_

_**You will die...**_

_**I will drag you into the miserable depths of oblivion right along with me...**_

The threatening voice boomed throughout the entire area, putting Ramza and Agrias on guard.

"Show yourself, Wiegraf!!!" Ramza yelled loudly to the open air.

In a small pit of lava a few yards away from where they stood, a hand emerged from the molten liquid rock. It clutched onto the ground and pulled madly. A second hand joined the efforts, and the two began to pull a charred corpse from the lava. As the body set its feet on the ground, the burnt skin began to retract, revealing the figure's true form.

"There!" Agrias shouted, pointing to their adversary.

The voice that came from this new figure was not as frightening nor imposing as the one heard previously, but was undoubtedly the same.

"You will not be spared." Decreed the man.

"Wiegraf..." Ramza muttered under his breath.

"You thought you could change your fate?" The man, Wiegraf Folles, challenged. "No. You are damned, a forsaken soul with no hope of atonement, the same as me."

"I am nothing like you." Ramza shot back. "You're just a vengeful phantom who remains only to see his ideals come to fruition. Your attempts to drive me into the same void you teeter above have failed. I am Ramza Beoulve, the savior of Ivalice. History may detest me, as may the people who I fought for. But even then, there are still people who will accept me, those who would still love me. For that, I will fight for them, and I will live for them."

"Such bold claims..." Wiegraf said evilly. "I could not have forseen this...for your fragile body and mind to be rescued time and again by that woman there..."

Agrias stiffened her stance and clutched her sword even tighter.

"You have thrown my well-laid plans into complete disarray." Wiegraf grimaced. "Because of your influence on him, I wasn't able to intrude into his mind as easily as I could before. Only from his brooding just now was I able to regain a form of contact. I see that you've become even stronger than I could have predicted. However, you haven't won yet. I still hold one trump card over you, Ramza Beoulve."

"Not for long." Agrias said proudly.

"Where is my sister?!" Ramza shouted.

"She's still in Riovanes, why don't you go to her?" Wiegraf boldly challenged.

"We will, after we send you back to the abyss you crawled out from." Agrias declared.

Wiegraf looked Agrias over once, then grinned evilly.

"You saw the demon, didn't you?" Wiegraf asked, to which Agrias only scoffed. "I think it's about time I ended your meddling. I give you credit for postponing the inevitable, but you need to be removed from this little equation, before you cause any more unnecessary delays..."

"En' garde!" Agrias yelled as she charged Wiegraf with reckless abandon.

"Wait, Agrias!" Ramza exclaimed, charging after Agrias, weapon at the ready.

Agrias was the first to descend onto Wiegraf. He merely stood there as she reared back and struck with all of her might. The sword passed clean through Wiegraf's body, leaving not a scratch on him.

"You fool." Wiegraf spat as he saw Agrias recovering for another strike. "I cannot be dispersed by the likes of you. You may have his poison blood running through your veins, which allowed you to hear my intrusive thoughts, but that is where your power against me ends."

Wiegraf made a grab for Agrias' throat. He wrapped his fingers around the base of her neck, then rushed her into a nearby wall. Agrias cried out as the wind was knocked clear out of her body. Her sword fell to the ground at her elevated feet.

"Wiegraf!!!!" Ramza screamed as he jumped into the air over his opponent. He brought his sword back for a tremendous blow, then brought it downward.

Wiegraf, still holding onto Agrias, jumped out of the way. Ramza's sword split the ground it hit. Ramza charged at Wiegraf again, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Wiegraf holding the stunned Agrias over the pool of lava in which he had emerged from.

"No!" Ramza yelled. He dropped his weapon to the ground and fell to his knees in an immediate admittance of defeat.

"You're so pathetic..." Wiegraf scoffed. "Here I thought your sister was the only one who had this kind of influence over you, but it seems there is another..."

"Wiegraf...please...I beg of you...let her go..." Ramza pleaded. "I'm the one you want..."

"You would simply give up here and now, foregoing your entire effort to save your sister?" Wiegraf poised, to which Ramza had no definitely answer.

"You miserable cur." Wiegraf spat. "To think you would sacrifice your only remaining blood relative makes me sick. And for what? This miserable pile of flesh you call a woman?"

Ramza's hand balled into tight fists. His breathing began to pick up, and his entire body began to shake.

"Hmm?" Wiegraf looked down at Ramza. As he scoped out his face, his own lit up with anticipation.

"Yes, yes, that's what I want to see." Wiegraf said. "You try to suppress it, but you can't. Ha ha ha!"

Ramza lifted his face up to meet Wiegraf's eyes. The scar that was once only a few centimeters across his left cheek had now spread. From the cheek up, Ramza's skin had been burned away by the dark power of the Reverse Trinity. Underneath was what looked to be a dark, scaly form of skin. Ramza's left eye had turned completely blood red.

"Your final hours draw near, Ramza Beoulve." Wiegraf said ominously. "Riovanes Castle shall be your grave!"

Wiegraf stepped back into the lava. A dark barrier of energy formed around him and the ensnared Agrias, and they began to sink into the pit. Agrias then came to, and saw herself becoming enveloped in the lava. She looked over to Ramza.

"RAMZA!!!" Agrias screamed desperately.

Ramza jumped to his feet and charged once more. He tore at the sphere of energy with everything he had, but was not able to break it.

"She too will now share in your fate." Wiegraf said coldly.

Ramza jumped back as Wiegraf sank into the pit, with Agrias in tow.

_**Ramza Beoulve...**_

Wiegraf's booming voice once again echoed throughout the area...

_**You took everything from me, and now...**_

_**I'll take everything from you...**_

_**You can never be saved...**_

_**Try as you might, you cannot reverse the fate I have cast upon you...**_

_**I am not God, I am not the Devil, but I will bring retribution down on your head, regardless...**_

_**Your sins lay heavy upon you...**_

_**Riovanes Castle, where I took my final mortal breaths...**_

_**That is where we will end this.**_

And then, there was silence...

Ramza Beoulve was now alone.

"Agrias..."

Ramza made his way over to the wall where Agrias was captured. He stared at it with an intense feeling of hatred. Bringing back his right hand, he slammed it against the solid rock, and it shattered into a million pieces. He collapsed onto the ground, convulsing rapidly.

"No..." Ramza said to himself.

He could feel it, more powerful than ever before. The demon from within was now screaming to get out. His final limiter unjustly taken from him, Ramza's dark nature now had nothing left to keep it sealed. Ramza writhed on the ground, trying to force back his madness, but it was proving to be a losing battle.

There was only one solution left.

He had to get to Riovanes as soon as possible.

This chaos had to end.

Crawling over to his sword, Ramza thrust it into the ground, then used it as a pillar to pick himself up. He then started for Riovanes in a slow stagger, his sword trailing behind him, slicing away the ground beneath it's cold steel.

"I won't let you win..." Ramza said. "I promised Agrias I wouldn't submit..."

Ramza Beoulve, now an unshackled demonic powerhouse, inched ever closer to his destination. His unlimited, but decadent power beseeched him to finally draw upon it, but he continued to fight it with what little willpower he had left.

While his mind was barely hanging on, his body wasn't holding up as well...

Aside from the portion of his face now gone, more changes were beginning to form. The dark substance from the Reverse Trinity on his back was now oozing in between the plates in his armor. It then hardened into a new form of armor, one not of this world. Ramza's armor had now been transformed into a living extension of himself. The substance went around his entire body from the neck down as he dragged on...

The demon was slowly beginning to form, and the entity of Ramza was slowly being replaced.

Amidst the hellfire of Bervenia, a savior was turning into a destroyer, a corrupted warrior...

**Riovanes was on the horizon...**


	19. The Alpha, The Omega

Prelude to Battle - The Alpha, The Omega

From the fiery pits of Bervenia Volcano, a solitary figure appeared. The towering columns of molten rock and ash but a background to him now, this figure staggered along. He was barely able to keep himself standing amidst the crushing weight of the darkness within his own soul. A darkness that, if left unfettered, would consume him completely, and in turn, fully corrupt the mightiest hero the land of Ivalice had ever known.

A man bred from the aristocracy, raised in nobility, seasoned by battle, and savior by force of will. This protector of the world would soon succumb to his own desire. A desire to finally sate himself in the entrails of the ungrateful masses who spurn his name, his very existence. While his actions were previously governed by justice, he was now letting himself go.

Those who stood at his side, his friends, were also his "limiters," so to speak. In their presence, be they friend or blood relative, Ramza could always humble himself down to simple means. And this allowed the once timid sense of justice in his soul to burn forth brightly and flourish, turning him into the champion of humanity. He could draw upon their power and combine it with his own, and with that, overthrow any decadent tyrant, be they mortal or that of the devil.

Ramza Beoulve, the savior of Ivalice, his own nigh limitless power kept in check by those who fought alongside him, was also a limiter for Ivalice itself.

While it was never officially revealed, Ramza Beoulve underwent a campaign to rid the bountiful land of Ivalice from all politically and morally corrupt figures. His efforts in the Lion War proved to be a huge step in the right direction for Ivalice's future. However, his image was tarnished by the Church of Glabados. They painted him as a monster, a heretic and enemy of God, whereas it couldn't be any more the opposite.

Life isn't without its irony...

The Church, servants of the almighty, were condemning themselves and all the ignorant masses that they controlled. And Ramza, the so-called heretic, was bearing the sins of all of Ivalice. All of the greed, lust, bloodshed, sorrow, and anger, he would take it unto himself, shouldering a burden that no mortal being should be able to carry.

_**"The weight of a sin, forgivable to none, loathed by all."**_

Those were the words etched into the weapon that Ramza now dragged behind him. It was always cumbersome, being a weapon of such mass and weight. But upon exiting Bervenia, completely alone, the blade now seemed to weigh as much as a thousand tons. The razor sharp edge tore into the ground underneath it, leaving a trail mixed with blood and tears.

_Ramza Beoulve, the Alpha..._

-----------------------------------------

The greed, the arrogance, the disdain...

He had to be the one to put an end to all of it. He would smite those blessed with much better fortunes and secure a place of peace for those who weren't dealt such an easy existence.

Those damned nobles, they could never understand the kind of hell those under them went through. To have to fight for their existence each and every day, every waking moment. They would never have to worry about such a fate. And for them to look down on him, on anyone like him, that lit a spark within his soul.

It was a desire for revenge. A desire to rid the world of nobles, and recreate the world into one where those who were shunned would rule. He tore through the annals of history as a war criminal, his ideals lost underneath the lies.

Wiegraf Folles. Perhaps, at one moment in time, he and Ramza were alike. They fought for the justice of others, but in completely different ways. Whereas Ramza fought for the justice of others, noble and peasant alike, Wiegraf only fought for those who were oppressed. Their goals were the same, yet, completely different.

And on that fateful day when their swords met at Riovanes, one of those ideals was erased...

But Wiegraf's desire lived on, even after his mortal body had rotted away. Now however, this desire was marred by anger. It had become twisted and distorted. He no longer wanted to bear the weight of the oppressed. Shedding that burden, he now focused what little piece of existence he had left on tormenting the savior, the one who took everything from him. He continued to remain amongst the shadows, he himself nothing but a shadow, slowly but surely taking Ramza apart piece by piece.

And then, once Ramza had been driven to the brink of madness, he would drag the savior down with him, to writhe in total oblivion for all eternity.

_The shadow of Wiegraf Folles, the Omega..._

Their destined meeting within the hallowed halls of Riovanes Castle would set a new course of events in motion, events that would change the land of Ivalice forever...

Will the corrupted savior, a warrior now with nothing left to lose, prevail and send this shadow back into the abyss forever?

Or will the shadow usurp the savior and cast him into the pits of decadence?

_**The Alpha, the Omega, the beginning, and the end...**_


	20. A Sinner's Path

Interlude Two: A Sinner's Path - Upon the Doorstep to Damnation

"So, young Ramza was right..." Cid thought silently to himself as he surveyed Riovanes Castle from a safe distance. A platoon of around forty knights were surrounding the castle's decrepit walls. There didn't seem to be any attempts of entry into the castle, so it looked as though the group's mission was only to keep a sharp eye out for any sign of Ramza or Agrias.

Knowing Ramza and Agrias were quickly closing in behind him, Cid racked his brain to try and form a plan to divert the attention of the troupe. They were merely fresh recruits, none of them looked to be a seasoned veteran like the mighty Thunder God. It'd be simple to just take the group head on and tear their ranks asunder. But Cid had much better standards than that. The knights were only doing their job, and didn't deserve the severe trouncing they would undergo should they be forced to engage Cid.

"There doesn't seem to be much of an option here..." Cid thought bitterly as he reached for his sword. It looked as though only a head on confrontation would generate enough commotion to lead the knights away. Beginning his short walk to the knights, Cid focused his body and his mind. He would fight the brigade, but limit his power so that he could simply render the rookie ensigns unconscious. Being a master swordsman, Cid could decimate the ranks of these troops within a few moments.

"You there!" Cid bellowed loudly. The leader of the knights heard the call and trotted over to the cloaked man in front of him.

"Please, sir." The knight said, raising his hands as if he were somehow barring access to the castle. "Riovanes is currently under investigation. I would advise you to turn back now."

"Is this all of you?" Cid asked. "This shouldn't take too long."

"I beg your pardon?" The knight asked. He reached for the sword belted to his side cautiously.

"You young roughnecks..." Cid mused with a light chuckle. "Always going for your weapon instead of words."

"Sir, I say again, I advise you to turn back now, if you do not, you will be placed under arrest."

Another group of knights began to converge on Cid, their weapons also floating barely in their sheaths.

"And if I refuse?" Cid said defiantly.

"Place him under arrest!" The lead knight commanded. Three knights surrounded Cid. Cid shook his head disdainfully.

"You should respect your elders." Cid warned, his hand flying to his sword. Swinging the enchanted blade around his body, each knight that was surrounding Cid was struck with a small bolt of lightning and sent sprawling to the ground. They lay there, completely overwhelmed by the Thunder God's power.

"Man down! Man down!" The lead knight screamed. Now the entire platoon was turning their attention on Cid.

"I certainly hope I'll at least get a bit of a workout here..." Cid grumbled to himself.

One by one, knights were rendered unconscious and incapable of battle by the cloaked swordsman. Try as they might, they were no match whatsoever for the blade master.

Some time later, the numbers of knights left remaining had dwindled from forty to about ten.

"This is such a bother." Cid whined as he set another unconscious knight on the ground next to him.

"Who are you?!" Screamed the lead knight, still trying to send his only soldiers left at the mysterious man. But all of them were quaking in their boots at the man's sheer power. They were afraid, but also grateful this man was not out for blood. They could see their fellow downed knights grunting and groaning as they crawled on the ground, and could only hope this man would not decide to start taking lives.

"Y...you there...! The lead knight ordered. "Get him...!"

"But sir...!" One of his underlings quivered.

"That's an order...! He's only knocking us out, don't be afraid!" Said the lead knight, his own voice an octave higher.

"Y...yes...sir..." The knight obeyed. Holding his sword closely to his body, the timid melee stopped in front of the cloaked figure, who was tapping his foot impatiently on the ground.

"Sir..." The knight pleaded. "Please stop this madness, if you do not, I'll be forced to hurt...you..."

Cid simply raised his sword menacingly, and the knight fainted right there on the ground. Cid shook his head in shame.

"My, my, my. Kids these days..." Cid sighed.

Now with only nine knights left, the leader decided it was time to cut his losses and take a much safer, and less painful, alternative route.

"Retreat!" The lead knight yelled. Not needing to be told a second time, the remaining knights sheathed their swords and turned to flee. Cid sheathed his sword and watched as the group ran away. Turning to the downed knights who had fallen trying to stop him, Cid began to tend to their light wounds, grinning to himself all the while. But that grin soon faded away when a bloodcurdling scream tore through the air.

Setting another unconscious soldier down, Cid ran in the direction the scream had originated from. As he made his way over the small hill on the horizon, he was met with a truly horrendous sight.

"God almighty..."

One of the escaping knights was floating in the air, skewered by a gigantic sword. As blood gushed from his wounds, it fell upon a figure clad in dark, steely armor. The figure's armor was pulsing rapidly, reacting to the carnage that was going on. Holding the enormous blade in his left hand, the figure wrenched the sword around him, and the impaled knight flew off and landed on the ground with a sickening thud. The rest of the knights that had escaped Cid's attack stood frozen in fear around their slain comrade.

"What is this thing?!" The lead knight shouted.

"It's a monster!" A fellow knight yelled.

Lowering the sword back down, the figure raised its right hand, which was a grotesque, malformed claw. Each finger on the claw was a sharp and as deadly as the sword the figure held.

"Die..." The creature lowly growled.

Seconds later, four knights were cut down with a single swipe of the figure's claw. As they fell to the ground, their bodies horribly mutilated, the other knights turned to try and escape. They only made it about ten steps before the claws on the figure extended and ran each of them through the heart. Their faces frozen in sheer terror, they slumped down and took their final breaths.

"It's...the devil... God...help us all..." Were one knight's final words...

"Ramza!!!" Cid bellowed. The figure's claws retracted back into its hand, and it looked up.

"What...what has happened to you...?"

Cid took a step back, even the mighty Thunder God was terrified by what he saw before him. It was indeed Ramza, or rather, what was left of him...

What little armor was left showing was slowing being consumed by a thick ooze that continued to pour from his upper left shoulder blade. As it covered his body, it hardened into a new form of armor, a living skin. Ramza looked up at Orlandu, and the Holy Swordsman's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Ramza's face was nearly covered by the new skin, only his right eye and a small portion of his face above it were still normal.

"I see..." Cid muttered to himself, reaching for his sword. "Then it appears as though the shadow has won..."

Starting down the hill in a blind charge, Cid reared back his sword and prepared to strike with his full, unlimited power. Lightning began to surge from the blade, each step Cid took sounding like a mighty thunderclap.

"Forgive me, Ramza..." Cid said as he brought his sword forward and attacked...

The lightning erupted from Cid's blade and screamed at the distorted remainder of Ramza Beoulve. It ignited the ground as it flew forward, showcasing Cid's nigh immeasurable strength.

While he was quickly losing himself, Ramza knew that Cid was not an opponent he wanted. Taking a mighty leap, Ramza jumped clean over the lightning, and in turn, Cid. As the elder swordsman turned around, he saw Ramza was already much farther ahead.

"No!" Cid yelled, thinking Ramza was heading for the group of unconscious knights. They would be an easy kill, a quick slaughter that this new, demonic version of Ramza would not miss.

But as he looked over the hill, he saw Ramza run right past the knights, not paying any of them even a second glance. He dashed to the gate of Riovanes, cleaving the drawbridge in half with a mighty swing of his sword. As the bridge splintered around him, Ramza made his way into the castle, disappearing from sight in a matter of moments.

"Best of luck to you, Ramza Beoulve..." Cid said to himself. "I pray that you may finally free yourself of this wretched curse and find some sort of peace within your tortured soul."

Cid started back down the hill. Tossing his cloak aside, he prepared to dig graves for the knights who had met their fated end at Ramza's hand.

Ramza half-ran, half-staggered through the silent halls of Riovanes. As he did, a sickening cackle began to pick up, echoing all throughout the empty castle. It laughed on and on as Ramza plodded along, and then, a voice finally spoke...

_**"You're upon the threshold of your own destruction..."**_

_**"...The path of a savior turned sinner..."**_

_**"...The doorway to damnation..."**_

_**"...You have been forsaken..."**_

_**"Welcome, corrupted warrior, welcome...to oblivion..."**_


	21. The Fallen Bloody Angel

Chapter 17: The Fallen Bloody Angel

The remnants of the once mighty Ramza Beoulve, the savior of all Ivalice, plodded along slowly through the lifeless halls of Riovanes Castle. The cursed blood that flowed through his veins was now flowing out onto his body, continuously burning away what little humanity he had left. Time was nearly up, and if Ramza could not hold onto his humanity for just a bit longer, then all hope was lost. Not just for Ramza, either, all of Ivalice would soon be doomed to a slow, agonizing death.

Was there any chance of redemption now?

Could a man so stained with sins and blood ever be able to find forgiveness?

Ramza ended the lives of so many corrupt men, but at the same time, slaughtered the defenseless, the weak, the people he had sworn so long ago to protect.

He was not truly evil, but at the same time, not truly good.

A sort of arbiter, between the darkness and the light.

Once a savior, now quickly degrading into a demon, Ramza was but moments away from total corruption. He clenched his teeth together as he tried with all of his remaining willpower to force back the corruption for just a few seconds more. He was so close, he could not fail now. He could not, he would not fail.

"I made a promise..." Ramza muttered to himself, his voice still faltering between its normal tone and the new, more distorted tone. "...to Alma...and to Agrias...and I will keep my word..."

_**Is that even possible now?**_

That same ominous voice of Ramza's enemy floated in once more. Ramza shut his eyes forcefully and tried to drown out the oncoming words.

_**Even if you were able to save what little remains of your soul, what's left for you after that? You're a monster, just look at yourself! You're a page right out of that nonsensical holy book you "enlightened" ones always prattled on about!**_

Ramza did his best to ignore the voice as he continued along. Each word only made his rage pulse more vibrantly. So, rather than trying to engage in pointless conversation, Ramza merely took the words in stride as he began his search throughout the entirety of Riovanes.

_**You try to deny it, but you have become a demon. You cannot be saved. No amount of prayer in the world would save you from your fate. A fate that I have cast upon you, and will see through to the bitter end.**_

_**I told you, Ramza Beoulve, I've told you all along that I would drag you down to the depths of oblivion right along with me. You deserve no less a punishment than what I have been planning for what seems like an eternity.**_

_**Eternity...**_

_**It is indeed a quaint word, is it not? Time immemorial, a place where death no longer applies. As human beings, we spend each and every day counting down to the time of our eventual death. The concept of "eternity" is lost on our short, scant lives...**_

_**No one can escape death, not me, not you.**_

_**But what lies beyond death?**_

_**Have you ever wondered? **_

_**Damnation? Salvation? Retribution?**_

_**I cannot say for sure, as I have yet to find out.**_

_**But it matters not if I am damned, for I will bring that same punishment down on you as well.**_

_**Even still, there's still so much left unsaid...**_

_**So many questions left to answer...**_

_**Will we continue this struggle in the depths of hell?**_

_**Will you find some way to purge me?**_

_**What were to happen if I am somehow able to destroy you...?**_

_**Would all life on Ivalice end?**_

_**Without their precious "savior," would I be condemning the world?**_

_**But even with all of the unknown still looming, I can take solace in this one, solitary fact...**_

_**The world will go on, long after you are dead. It may not be for long, but your final breaths will not signal the end of everything.**_

_**You see, Ramza? The world does not need nor want a despicable figure such as yourself, savior or not.**_

_**As you are now, you're no different than the Lucavi you defeated.**_

_**...No...**_

_**Perhaps you're not the same as the Lucavi...**_

_**You're...dare I say it, much worse than they could ever hope to be.**_

_**You cling to a meaningless existence, continuing to bring misery and suffering to those around you. The land itself withers at your very touch.**_

_**You're a curse in and of yourself.**_

_**Would this world not be better off without you?**_

_**I believe both you and I know the answer to that.**_

_**Your death would be a true blessing to all of this land, a true miracle.**_

_**And yet, I can still hear that same accursed chant...**_

_**Those meaningless words from that meaningless book...**_

_**But who?**_

_**Who is that continues to speak such meaningless words?**_

_**It certainly is not you...**_

_**So it must be...**_

_**Ah, it is these two.**_

_**Strange, is it not, Ramza?**_

_**They cannot see, they cannot hear, they cannot speak, yet they are still somehow able to convey these "prayers."**_

_**Do you know what they pray for, Ramza?**_

_**They pray for deliverance.**_

_**Deliverance from this wretched existence you have cast upon them.**_

_**Should I become what you once were? **_

_**Should I become their savior and end their suffering?**_

_**No, of course not.**_

_**I have no desire to ever become a savior, I exist only to finally claim the revenge that is rightfully mine.**_

_**They call for you, Ramza Beoulve.**_

_**Can you not hear them? Have their voices fallen upon your deaf, malformed ears?**_

_**Or perhaps, you try and ignore it all, is that it? **_

_**Yes, that must be it.**_

_**You do not want them to see what you have become.**_

_**For them to see how far you have fallen...**_

_**I've been watching you, Ramza Beoulve, for such a very long time.**_

_**You may not have known it, but I've seen all of what has transpired up until this point.**_

_**I may detest you, but at the same time, I admired your diligence in protecting your sister. Your only remaining blood relative, your link to your heritage.**_

_**But, for you to be so audacious as to let another take her place...**_

_**You do not deserve any sort of forgiveness for such a betrayal.**_

_**I never would have been so foolish to do what you did...**_

_**And all of this betrayal for a relic of a past war?**_

_**It doesn't matter what you may have felt for this pathetic woman, this misplaced ghost of days long gone, you had no right to give away your sister's place as your protector!**_

_**To further sever your own bloodline, by your own hand...**_

_**It is foolishness beyond comprehension...**_

_**But, you have made your decision, and thus, you will take that with you to your grave.**_

_**Now, all of the remaining questions shall be answered...**_

Ramza made his way to the courtyard of Riovanes, and stopped...

"I'm glad you were able to save some sort of humanity." Wiegraf said with a cackle. "I want the pleasure of stripping that last bit away from you, to see your final transformation into a monster with my own eyes..."

"Wiegraf..." Ramza growled lowly.

"Look, Ramza, here she is. Here is your sister, your beloved sister."

Wiegraf stepped aside.

"Alma..." Ramza muttered, taking a slow step towards his sibling.

The young Beoulve girl was down on both knees. Her hands were cupped together and close to her chest in a motion of prayer. Her eyes were closed, and she made not a sound. She seemed to be frozen in time in that very pose.

"Such a pure, yet tragic, girl she is. She held on for so long, knowing that you would come to her. And so you have indeed come to her, but at what cost? This all could have been avoided if you were not so weak. You could not stand on your own two feet once she was gone, so you leaned your burdens on another, and thus..."

Wiegraf pointed to the wall adjacent of where Alma was kneeling.

"She must suffer because of it."

Agrias...once a mighty knight of God, a devout follower of the holy teachings, had been crucified. A crude outline of a cross had been traced around her prostate body. Metal spikes had been driven through Agrias' hands, and blood gushed out of the wounds. She was still breathing, but it was faint.

"Ironic, is it not, Ramza?" Wiegraf said evilly. "But your curse still continues to flow through her veins, and that is what keeps her alive. She's being smothered under your influence, but at the same time, kept alive by it. You see? You're torturing her, simply by existing! She cannot find peace as long as you continue to live!"

Ramza's teeth clenched together tightly. He gripped his sword handle even tighter, almost snapping the hilt in two.

"Does this make you hate me, Ramza?" Wiegraf questioned cryptically.

Wiegraf didn't need any sort of response, as the entire area around Ramza began to sink into the ground, being crushed by his full, unlimited power. Ramza let out a shrill war cry, and it seemed to shake the very pillars that held the castle together. The blood oozing from the Reverse Trinity on his back now began to erupt violently outward, and it soon began to take on a shape of its own. It stretched outward from Ramza's armor, starting to form into what looked to be a wing. It was shaped like a wing of an angel, but instead of shining in a holy color, it was blood red with black outlines racing all over it. Upon forming completely, the wing wrapped around Ramza's body. Seconds later, it spread out completely, and Ramza stood there, his fully demonic eyes locked on one thing.

**"DIE!!!"**

Ramza's single word boomed through the entire courtyard. It caused statues in the area to crumble to pieces. Wiegraf looked around him, and saw what kind of power he was about to go up against. His face was laced with a sick grin all the while.

"You've become a fallen Angel, Ramza Beoulve." Wiegraf taunted. "Why, in this state, you almost look the same as the previous Angel of death! But you're so much more frightening than Altima ever was. I'm terrified beyond belief, but I will not let fear stop me from finishing what I have started. It is I who have brought you to your end, and I will see it through. I shall soon know the answers to so many unanswered questions. Now, come, join me in the pits of hell!"

Wiegraf took a step forward, and his human incarnation began to melt away. Moments later, it was replaced by a shadowy state of his Lucavi form, Vellius.

"Let me be your guide to oblivion!" Wiegraf called out.

Ramza charged blindly at Wiegraf, rearing back for the opening assault. The battle that was set to shake the very foundations of Ivalice had begun...


	22. A Sinner's Requiem

OOC: Sins has reached its finale. I apologize if you were expecting a grand battle to follow the previous entry, but I wanted to finish this story as best I could, rather than leaving it hang in limbo. I want to thank all of those who voiced their opinions of my story, and hope that my next one can only improve upon what I have done here.

**Sins of a Lonely Heart**

Epilogue: A Sinner's Requiem

_**Death inevitably comes for us all...**_

_**Some choose to run...**_

_**Some choose to hide...**_

_**But there a few of us who rise up to meet it...**_

_**Is death truly an ending...?  
**_

_**Or is it perhaps just a beginning...?**_

There was a slight knock at the door.

"Miss Alma, are you ready? The ceremony is about to commence." A voice said softly from behind the door.

"Yes, I will be ready in just a few moments." The young woman, Alma, said in reply.

Taking one last look in the mirror, Alma nodded in approval.

"Please tell Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn that I will meet them shortly." Alma said.

"At once, milady." The voice obeyed. Once she was sure the person was gone, Alma took a seat on her bed and cupped her head between her hands.

"So...today's the day we all say goodbye to you..." Alma murmured to herself.

Withdrawing herself from her bed, Alma went to her desk and opened a drawer on the left-hand side. Buried beneath a slew of assorted documents, there was a small notebook. Opening the rawhide cover, Alma looked at the very first entry of the book and traced her hands along it gently. Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, but she wiped them away with a quick stroke of her hand. Written on those first pages was her accounts of what was perhaps the most tragic event in all of the young maiden's life. More tragic than even the hellish torture she had endured during the Lion War, it was the recollection of her greatest loss...

_"I awoke with a start, the area surrounding me appeared to be a war zone. Crumbled pillars, gigantic holes punched through solid stone walls, blood of all kinds splattered about like some sort of twisted painting. Focusing my eyes, I could see a figure of a great ram demon beginning to melt into the ground, the creature gurgling all the while. Upon its disappearance, I could see what could only be described as a cocoon of blood. It was of tremendous stature, frightening beyond belief. As I tried to avert my eyes to such a grotesque sight, I could see someone near the base of the cocoon, ripping, tearing, clawing as best they could at the shell. What happened after that will remain with me until the end of my days..."_

Stopping herself from reading, Alma thought back to that day in Riovanes, the day she was finally freed from the chains of her fated nature, but at the ultimate cost...

--

_"Agrias!!" Alma screamed. The figure at the base of the cocoon stopped and looked back at Alma._

_"Lady Alma!" Agrias bellowed. "Please! You must help me! Ramza's very life depends on it!" _

_"Brother!" Alma screamed. Needing no further explanation, Alma had figured out all too well what this hideous shell of blood was..._

_"He's being crushed by his own power! We have to save him!"_

_**Stay back...**_ Boomed a voice that came from everywhere.

"Brother Ramza!!" Alma screamed as she looked around the area.

**I was too late...I couldn't defeat him quick enough...**

Agrias ran over to Ramza's greatsword and brought it over her shoulders. Charging madly at the shell, she brought the blade onto it with as much force as she could possibly muster. Blood sprayed from the holes in her hands, splashing onto the shell. The blood was then drawn into the shell, which only seemed to strengthen and repair every place the shell was struck. Agrias dropped the blade and fell to her knees in despair.

"God damn you, Ramza!" She cursed out loud. "You promised me! You promised Alma! Don't you dare go back on your word!"

Alma darted over to Agrias' side and held the gravely wounded knight close to her.

"Agrias, please stop! You're killing yourself!" Pleaded the young Beoulve maiden.

"Miss Alma, if you will not help me, then I suggest you step aside!" Agrias roared, shooting to her feet. She pushed Alma to the side with one quick shove. Alma fell to the ground, covered in blood from Agrias' wounds.

**There's nothing you can do for me now...my body and soul have become too far corrupted for any sort of salvation...I remain now as just a demon on the verge of death...As such, I will die here, in the place where this corruption began...**

"Ramza!!" Agrias screamed, collapsing onto the cocoon, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "You promised...!!"

**I was so close...so close to finally putting all of this madness behind me...**

"Brother, please, let us help you!" Alma said as she shakily got to her feet. "There must be something we can do!"

**There is nothing you can do for me, all that's left is for me to be smothered by my own power...my own decadence...the sins of my lonely heart have taken their toll, and now I come to the end of my days...**

"Don't say that, brother Ramza!!" Alma screamed. "We can save you! Please! Let us help you!"

**I am beyond any sort of repentance, dear sister, but you are not...you must...you must live for me! I have set you free, and you must live!**

"But Brother...!!" Alma tried to speak, but could not find the words.

"It's no use..." Agrias said disdainfully. "He will not listen to us...but Lady Alma, you must heed your brother's words, for they are the truth..."

"What are you saying, Agrias?!" Alma yelped. "Are you saying we should just leave my brother here to die in obscurity?!"

"No, I am not going anywhere." Agrias said.

As she finished those words, the part of the cocoon she was laying on slowly opened, and Agrias began to sink into the blood.

"Agrias!" Screamed Alma.

"Don't come any closer!" Commanded Agrias. "It's alright...if this is what he wants...what he truly wants...then he and I die here, together...he promised me his life, and I intend to make him keep his word, in one way or another..."

Agrias' entire body was now enveloped by the cocoon, only her right hand remained above the bloody shell, and it too was being drawn in.

**Please, Alma, leave this place, do not waste your tears weeping for us...**

"No!!" Alma objected. "I will not let you leave me alone again!"

Dashing forward as fast as she could, Alma grabbed hold of Agrias' hand and held it as tightly as she could. However, she was making no attempt to try and wrench Agrias from the bloody shell, rather, she was letting herself be consumed by it as well.

**No! Alma! You mustn't!**

"What life is left for me?! If you are gone, then where does that leave me?! If you truly desire death, then let it take all of us at once!" Alma said. "Let the wretched blood of the Beoulve name disappear here forever!"

Now drawn completely into the shell, Alma let go of Agrias' hand and watched her disappear into the depths, not a word coming from her mouth. Alma could feel the tainted blood of the cocoon beginning to burn at her pure, unscarred skin. She writhed in pain as she could feel the very essence of her soul beginning to become corrupt.

"Brother...it hurts...help...help me..." She cried out meekly.

Alma closed her eyes and waited for her inevitable doom...

But just as everything seemed lost, Alma felt a rough, rigid hand clasp across her left, and a softer, more familiar hand grip her right. Opening her eyes, Alma could see them...

Her dearest, beloved brother was there...smiling at her warmly. He pulled her close to his body and hugged her warmly.

"Alma..." Ramza whispered.

"Don't speak, brother..." Alma whimpered. "Let me have this one moment...please..."

Alma felt a tug on her left hand, and soon another pair of arms coiled around her waist and then locked around her and Ramza. It was Agrias. The three of them now stood together, holding on to one another as tightly as they could.

"Alma..." Ramza spoke. "It was my one wish for the three of us to live in peace, finally free of all persecution, but it just isn't possible...at least...not for Agrias or myself..."

"It matters not, brother." Alma cooed. "If you wish to relinquish your life, then I shall relinquish mine. I love you, brother Ramza, and I always have. You, I, and Lady Agrias shall all die here, together."

Alma felt Agrias' hair fall onto the back of her shoulders, and it tickled her every sense. Agrias rested her head on Alma's back and sighed.

"Do you truly desire such an abrupt end?" Agrias said cryptically.

"I do." Alma said with no sort of hesitation. "It it means that I am able to be with my brother, and with you, then I will happily forfeit my own life."

"Lady Alma..." Agrias whispered. "It's still not too late..."

"I will not leave either of you." Alma said.

"Dearest sister..." Ramza began to speak. "I understand your intentions, but..."

"What is it, brother?" Alma said, nuzzling up to her brother's chest as close as she could.

"As I said, I want you to live...Alma, you must live. For upon your entry into this tomb, a tomb that was meant for only myself and for Agrias, you have taken upon yourself our future. A future that has yet to be written, but can only be possible if you live..."

"What do you mean, brother Ramza?"

"I want you to promise me...please, keep this promise always...let only the wretched past of the Beoulve name die here, and not you. Shed away all memories and notions of such a tragic and accursed lineage...and build life anew. Let this new life be your resolve to rebuild and reshape a once proud name. It may be a different name, but it will always uphold what we Beoulves once stood for..."

"Brother..."

"Lady Alma," Agrias spoke softly into Alma's ear. While you and I were never able to truly able to get to know each other, what I have learned about you from your brother, and from listening to your earnest words now, I know that you, too, are of purest heart. While it may seem pointless now, I must ask two things of you..."

"Please, speak it." Alma replied.

"The first is that you give Ramza and myself your blessings...our time quickly draws near, but my heart and soul can rest at ease, knowing of your approval..."

"Of course, Agrias, I could not be any happier knowing that Ramza has finally found the love he has needed for such a long time..." Alma said softly.

"I am glad...my last request...will you heed your brother's words? You must live, for him, for me, and for someone else..."

"Someone...else...?" Alma questioned.

"Keep us in your hearts...and whenever you look into her eyes...please remember that Ramza and I will always watch over you..."

"Goodbye, dearest Alma..." Ramza whispered, planting a loving kiss onto Alma's forehead. He then let go of Alma, and Agrias did the same. Alma could feel herself being pulled out of the shell.

"Ramza!! Agrias!!" She screamed in futility, but it was no use. She could only reach out as Ramza and Agrias got further and further away.

Alma was then ejected from the shell of blood and sent to the ground. She was pinned in place by forces unknown, and could only watch as the cocoon's pulsating membrane began to harden. When the pulsing mass finally stopped, it began to crack. Chunks of the shell began to rain down all around Alma, melting into the ground upon their impact. When it all had cleared, Alma could see her brother once more. His demonic form had been shed, and he appeared now as the same man Alma had remembered. Clutching tightly onto him was Agrias. She, too, had been completely cleansed of the corruption, their hideous scars and malformed wounds now completely gone. But all was not as well as it had appeared...

"Farewell, Lady Alma..." Agrias spoke. "Live for us..."

"I love you, Alma..." Ramza's final words were carried away by the wind.

The images of Ramza and Agrias then began to slowly fade away, becoming nothing more than a passing shadow, and then, they were gone...

--

A small ceremony was taking place within the Knight Barracks of Lionel Castle. It was a small affair, but one that held the utmost importance. Lavian and Alicia led a small brigade of knights, followed closely by Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn Atkascha. They marched in what appeared to be a funeral procession. But there were no caskets of any kind to be found in this small troupe. Coming upon a vast, open plain of grass, Alicia raised her hand to her brigade, and Alicia did the same.

"Company, halt!" Lavian shouted. The brigade stopped and began to split into two small single-file, parallel lines. Upon reaching their formation, Lord Farnei and Lady Rosealynn began to make their way down the aisle of knights. The knights raised their swords and arched them over the approaching nobles, a salute to their rulers.

Farnei and Rosealynn made their way to the head of the lines and greeted Lavian and Alicia. The two knights, their rank restored, saluted and then stood aside. Farnei looked over his subjects and bowed his head.

"Knights of Lionel..." Farnei began his speech. "We gather here today upon this field to lay to rest a dear friend, a courageous soldier, and a beloved brother..."

"...It was he who delivered us from the jaws of destruction...it was he who was oppressed by those he had fought so hard for...and it was he who was driven into despair..." Rosealynn continued for her husband. "But even as we gather here today, upon this empty field, let us always remember...those that continue to despise him will never let his soul rest, and that is why we can only convey our respects to him with this small ceremony. If it were at all possible, we would have given him a proper burial with a grand headstone, but alas, we cannot..."

"Regardless." Farnei started to speak once more. "He deserves nothing less than our utmost respect. We pay tribute today to his efforts. But not only to him, but to the one who stood alongside him until the very end..."

Lavian and Alicia's heads bowed. They closed their eyes and stood solemnly quiet.

"We cannot even mention her name either, lest we draw suspicion from the Church. Perhaps some day, when all of this turmoil has passed, we may return to this site and give these two noble souls a proper sendoff. But until then..."

Two knights at the back of the line began to march forward, both of them gracefully holding the broken hilt of a sword. The two knights knelt down before Farnei and Rosealynn, gently set the hilt upon the ground, then returned to their positions.

"We can only remember them through this blade..." Farnei said, shaking his head sorrowfully.

"Knights, attention!" Rosealynn commanded. The knights withdrew their swords and returned them to their sheathes. They then all dropped to one knee as another person made their way down the line. She was dressed in an elegant scarlet dress, adorned with all sorts of frills. Her hair was braided gracefully down her back. Upon reaching the front of the line, the young woman bowed respectively to the two lords and knelt down next to the hilt.

"Lady Alma will now speak." Farnei announced. The knights stood a hair straighter as the tragic young maiden began to talk.

"Everyone, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming today. I understand the potential consequences of what our gathering may bring, but I found it the only way of saying goodbye to him properly..."

Alma clutched her chest tightly. She could feel herself beginning to choke up.

"Lady Alma, if it is too difficult for you..." Rosealynn said concernedly.

"No, I am alright, milady." Alma consented. "He deserves this, they both deserve this..."

Alma stood up and turned to the knights.

"I know that my brother had taken innocent lives, many of which were your friends and your families, and I offer my most sincere apologies to you now. Words do very little to soothe such scars, of this I am all too aware of..."

Alma took once last look at the broken hilt and began her speech...

"Death was never meant to be an ending, but rather, a new beginning. Yes, when those close to us pass away, we are filled with immense grief and pain, but you must never let that weigh down your soul. My brother knew this all along, and fought until his last breath to suppress that weight, and ultimately was crushed by it. You all revere him as an unbreakable hero of justice, but he was human, just as you and I...

We human beings as a species are flawed, there is simply no other way to say it...we hurt and kill one another in the names of one's ideals...and what does this get us? Only more suffering and heartache. My brother saved us from the army of the devil, but yet, his struggle was in vain...for you see, we can never truly defeat the darkness that lurks within us all. Our only hope is to embrace one another in peace. We are of different races, religions, ranks, and statures, but we are all still human. There will be more bloodshed and sorrow, that is an unavoidable fact of life.

So what is left for those of us who continue to cling to the ideals of my fallen brother? We can only take in what he fought and died for, and use that in our every day lives to help better this tainted land of Ivalice that we all call home. My brother loved this land and all the people in it, and he sacrificed everything to try and mend the wounds of our land. But it is simply just too much for one person, even one like him, to accomplish. My brother has endeared me to continue the struggle he had started, but has also given me the wisdom to not take on such a nigh-impossible feat alone.

He has entrusted the future of Ivalice to all of us. Our savior has gone away, leaving the remaining wounds of this land of Ivalice for all of us to mend. But please, I beg of you to not grieve for him, for he did not wither away in loneliness as he had long feared..."

Lavian and Alicia's eyes began to well with tears upon Alma's next words.

"He had a wonderful, caring soul watching over him all this time. She took it upon herself to safeguard his soul with all her power, even taking his pain and anguish unto herself. Had it not been for her, my brother would never had been able to finally claim some small sense of peace in his passing. If my brother is truly regarded by some as a savior, then let her forever be known as the savior's guardian angel...

Knights of Lionel, I thank you for listening to the heartfelt words of such a frail woman like myself. I will always be grateful to all of you for taking me into your home and protecting me from my brother's worst fears. I will always cherish my time spent here, and I can only hope that the final gift I was given to me by my brother will be as equally grateful..."

Alma brought her hand down to her stomach and caressed it softly.

"I carry within my body the future of my brother and his guardian's memories. I will raise this child as my own, and I someday hope that she grows to be a strong person, just like her father and mother. I was given a second chance at life thanks to my brother, and I vow to all of you now that I will raise this child to be a woman worthy of both the names Beoulve and Oaks."

Alma bowed her head and stepped back. Farnei once again stepped forward and signalled a pair of knights. The two fervantly stepped forward and picked up the broken hilt of the sword. There was only a fraction of the actual blade remaining. What was originally engraved on the edge had been erased and engraved with a new set of words. The knights drove the blade into the ground, saluted once more, then stepped back.

"We of the Atkascha family bid you and yours a fond farewell." Farnei said solemly, kneeling in front of the hilt.

"We can only hope that you still look upon all of us, and guide us ever steady in these uncertain days...may God welcome you with open arms, and smile upon you, forevermore." Rosealynn finished.

"Knights of Lionel! Present arms!" Farnei bellowed. The knights withdrew their swords once more and raise them together in the air in unison. They held them there for a few moments, then sheathed their weapons and began to withdraw. Farnei, Rosealynn, and Alma remained for a few moments afterward.

"Child of Beoulve," Rosealynn said proudly to Alma. "We will always remember your brother's efforts, and we thank you for granting us persmission to see him off in such a way. He deserves no less."

"And I thank you, lords." Alma said with a polite bow. "Let us take our leave, I believe it is time for my brother and his guardian to finally rest..."

Farnei and Rosealynn nodded, and the three of them then began to follow behind the knight brigade.

As they were leaving, the sunlight beamed down onto the open field, reflecting off the blade driven into the ground. The words engraved onto the blade shone brighter than ever before...

_**Here Lie Two Fallen Warriors**_

_**Names Unknown**_

_**Never Forgotten, Always Loved**_

_**Rest In Peace**_

_**'Fin**_


End file.
